Tips and Tricks – Tehama Group Communications

November 29, 2023

Strategies for Overcoming Designer’s Block

By: Sarah McKinney

Every graphic designer, no matter how experienced, has encountered the frustrating phenomenon known as designer’s block or creative burnout. Designer’s block can manifest in various forms – from an absence of fresh ideas to an overwhelming feeling of creative standstill. It often creeps in the presence of impending deadlines, adding an extra layer of stress. For graphic design students, navigating the challenges of academia, while simultaneously overcoming designer’s block is a crucial skill to develop it’s essential to recognize that this is a common hurdle in the creative process, and you’re not alone in facing it.

In this blog post, we’ll explore effective strategies to reignite your creative spark and keep the design juices flowing:

1. Embrace the Power of Breaks:

When faced with a creative roadblock, sometimes the best solution is to step away from the project. Take a break, go for a walk, or engage in an unrelated activity. This shift in focus allows your mind to reset and opens the door to new ideas. Consider incorporating the time-blocking technique – This method involves dividing your workday into distinct blocks of time, each dedicated to a specific task or set of related activities. For graphic designers, this could mean assigning specific blocks for ideation, design execution, client communication, and even breaks.

Resource: Effective Time Management Tips and Strategies for Graphic Designers

2. Seek Inspiration Beyond the Screen:

In the digital age, it’s easy to fall into the trap of seeking inspiration solely from online platforms. Break free from this cycle by exploring the physical world. Visit art galleries, attend design-related events, or simply take a stroll through nature. Inspiration often appears when you least expect it, the textures, colors, and patterns you encounter can serve as a wellspring of inspiration.

3. Engage in Collaborative Creativity:

Collaboration can be a powerful remedy to a designer’s block. Connect with fellow design students, share your challenges, and brainstorm ideas. Hearing different perspectives can spark new thoughts and approaches. Also, consider collaborating with students from other professions to gain fresh insights that can infuse your designs with unique perspectives.

5. Establish a Design Ritual:

Establishing a design ritual is an effective practice to develop a conducive environment for creativity. For instance, curate a specific playlist that resonates with your design sensibilities – music that energizes, inspires, and helps you focus.

Designating a specific workspace is another crucial element of your ritual. This could be a dedicated corner of your room, a coffee shop with the right ambiance, or a co-working space. A consistent physical environment helps create a mental association between that space and your creative work, making it easier for your mind to transition into a focused and imaginative state.

One part of a ritual that I frequently use to kickstart my creative process is doodling. Taking a few moments to doodle freely on a notepad or sketchpad can be a liberating exercise. These raw drawings often evolve into original ideas or serve as a visual brainstorming session, allowing your creativity to flow.

Another part of my personal ritual that has proven valuable is the act of writing down all thoughts and ideas. This process not only helps in organizing thoughts but also serves as a visual archive of ideas that you can look back on in the future. By putting pen to paper, you can explore connections between concepts, refine your thinking, and generate new ideas in the process

6. Explore Design Communities:

Engage with online design communities to connect with like-minded individuals. Platforms like Behance, Dribbble, and design-focused forums provide spaces to showcase your work, receive feedback, and become inspired by discovering the work of others. Participating in these communities can reignite your passion for design and expose you to new trends and techniques.

Resources:

Branding style guides

Conclusion:

Overcoming designer’s block is an ongoing journey, and each designer discovers what works best for them. By incorporating these strategies into your creative process, you’ll not only conquer moments of stagnation but also develop resilience and a deeper understanding of your creative self. Designer’s block is a temporary setback, and with the right mindset and tools, you’ll find your way back to a world brimming with design possibilities.

November 13, 2023

De-Influencing: Why it’s important for PR pros

We all know the world of influencers and the ascendancy they have on society, especially with the help of social media apps like TikTok and Instagram where content is spread at a rapidly fast rate. Unfortunately, that comes with content creators getting paid big bucks to advertise a product that may be no good.

Remember the whole Olaplex scandal? When the brand’s products were being advertised all over the media through ads and influencers, just to be proven that their products are harmful, as they cause hair loss, blisters and other conditions that must be treated medically? Without de-influencing, people may have never known about the harmful effects of these very popular products.

De-influencing is an emerging trend, where influencers discourage their followers from buying certain products. Basically, the opposite of influencer marketing.

This trend may occur through a number of reasons, like if the product is harmful, overpriced, or simply not worth the money. People who de-influence may also do so if they are naturally unhappy or unsatisfied with the product as a whole and feel as though other people do not need it.

De-Influencing is becoming more and more relevant, and it falls consistently within the line of work for PR professionals.

PR pros must recognize this trend, as they need to ensure that the products and services they pitch hold true value to their audience, along with identifying when there is a potential problem so they can avoid it and leave no room for error or crises.

Navigating this new world of de-influencing may take some trial and error for those working in the public relations or marketing field. Here are a few tips PR pros and marketers can take in order to operate this trend:

Work with companies that consistently and naturally align with your morals, ethics and values and pitch products that you truly believe are good and worth it.
Listen to feedback from influencers and take what they say into deep consideration.
Know what your audience wants and is interested in; keep these in mind at all times.
Create efficient tactics and procedures for crisis communication and reputation management.
When creating a paid advertisement with an influencer, ensure that they are not overly trying to sell the product, as it may come off as “fake” and receive backlash.

An individual can easily create a 30-second video talking poorly on a brand and their product(s). I’ve seen a handful of videos on my TikTok feed of people convincing the public to not buy something due to a number of reasons, such as the product being a waste of money, harmful, unnecessary, etc. Consequently, these actions can quickly cause harm to the reputation of the brands that are at stake. It is very important that PR pros and those working under influencer marketing/relations are efficient in their reputation and crisis management. They must act fast in handling the situation while using smart and efficient tactics to regain their audiences’ trust, such as releasing timely and genuine apologies regarding the situation, along with their form of action.

In a sense, de-influencing is a positive trend. People are warning the public on certain products that are not worth purchasing. PR pros must use it to their advantage while listening to their audience and feedback and act accordingly.

November 6, 2023November 6, 2023

Networking is your greatest asset

By: Daisy Costilla-Jaimes

Connecting with others and creating chains of networks will be your best asset in the public relations workforce. Creating a database of networks amongst individuals allows you to be involved in new opportunities and allows you to make professional friendships, collaborations, and meet new people not only in your community but also within the professional world locally or globally.

Sometimes networking with your community will open new opportunities in your career development you wouldn’t think possible. Networking is truly the most important component when becoming a successful public relations professional and progressing in the public relations industry because it allows you to connect with your client’s needs to satisfy their goals and your objectives.

I am an Assistant Account Executive working with my team to serve our client, the Multicultural Gender Studies Program. Our job is to inform prospective students and their families of the resources and opportunities available on Chico State’s campus. It is an important objective of my client to highlight the diverse minors, programs, and available opportunities for minorities on campus. As an Assistant Account Executive, I am responsible for curating content for the African-American studies minor. Networking with the community has been a key component in establishing connections that are valuable and essential to my client’s objectives.

For instance, I networked with the Cross-Cultural Leadership Center (CCLC) which is an environment dedicated to minority students where they are able to connect with one another, develop leadership skills, share cultural values, build relationships within the community and create cultural awareness and social change. Through the CCLC I was able to network with the Black Student Union’s (BSU) president, Khalid Hurst, BSU members and members of the National Society of Black Engineers. I was able to be more informed about African-American studies’ resources on campus using networking and how they help minorities such as African Americans represent themselves at Chico State.

Another way to expand your network is through social media such as Instagram, LinkedIn and X, formally known as Twitter. Being involved in social media and creating an engaging platform allows the ability to share information, partake in professional development conversations and create awareness of yourself and your abilities in the public relations field. Through networking with other professionals, you can have a deeper understanding of the industry and have access to resources that are at your fingertips.

By expanding my network within the community, I was able to gain more understanding regarding my client’s needs, objectives, and goals. I not only gained more comprehension of my client’s needs, but I also made professional connections, gained knowledge that will help me better the community, and obtained awareness of the diverse programs that support minorities.

Networking with your community, various organizations, programs, and individuals allows you to expand your web of connections. By expanding your network of people it will allow you to be informed, educated, and knowledgeable of the resources and growth opportunities available to you. Enlarging one’s network will allow public relations students to prepare themselves for the real world and achieve their career aspirations by enabling students’ understanding of how to succeed in the public relations industry.

October 10, 2023October 18, 2023

AI is Affecting Graphic Designers

By: Kate Ellis-Logsdon

With Artificial Intelligence taking over the world recently, many are questioning how it will affect their jobs in the years to come, especially in the digital world. Graphic designers have dealt with changes for centuries from the printing press invented by Gutenberg in the 1400s, to Bauhaus in the 1900s, and finally to the digital era of the invention of Adobe Photoshop in 1990. Being able to adapt to these changes is vital to the design world and the development of graphic design as a whole as well. Artificial Intelligence is reshaping and revolutionizing the industry by providing designers with tools never seen before, changing the way they think, create, and work.
Adobe being one of the largest companies out there for creating design tools recently came out with Adobe Firefly in March 2023. Adobe Firefly is a generative AI program that lets you generate images from just a text description, or remove or add objects in photos with just a prompt. This text to image tool can create posters, flyers, graphics, illustrations, and product mockups. This largely changes the industry as before, designers needed to reach further into the creative process and create these things by themselves. This also takes away the need for hiring designers as businesses alone can create and produce products without the need for talent from a designer. Another text-to-image platform that is recently available is Midjourney. Midjourney is a platform on Discord that generates images that can range in detail from a simple, or intricate prompt. Midjourney creates copyright-free images that can be used in any project, or public domain opening up availability for creativity with prompts but also for inspiration with projects and ideas to start the creative process.
A huge concern in the design industry due to the development of AI is that the more these tools become available to the public and refined further, they start to take over tasks that were done by designers. Image editing, content creation, and layout creation are just a start of where AI is now so imagining where it could go further is concerning. AI also can create an overreliance on these easily accessible templates, layouts, and logo designs. This can hinder designers’ creative process and create a similar look amongst designs, removing the individuality of the designer and their work. AI may be contributing to a loss of unique designs in the next couple of years with more and more mass-produced AI content being released and being published.
While AI has many negative aspects causing concerns to arise, tons of potential and tools that may be helpful to designers are evolving from AI. Many designers are excited about the revolutionary platforms being produced and view it as a way to save time with projects, creating more time for thought and strategy about how to go about a design issue. Conclusively, it is all up to the designer how they choose to use AI while thinking about the ethical concerns that may arise and the quality of work with generated content

October 10, 2023

What I learned as an AE in TGC

By: Rubi Ha-Hernandez

It’s my first semester in TGC and I am stoked to be working with such a talented team for our amazing clients.

To my surprise I was assigned to be an Account Executive for my first semester working with Nicole Johansson for the Honeybee Discovery Center. My team is composed of wonderful and strong writers and creatives. Here are a few out of the many things I have learned in TGC.

Leadership Skills

Working with my team has helped me improve my leadership skills. Working with our client, we have to collaborate and communicate as a team to make sure our client’s needs are met. Leadership skills have been crucial for effectively managing, motivating my team and making sure everyone is aligned on a common goal. My team makes it easy for me to guide them through our work because of their enthusiasm in working with our client. Their positive energy fuels each other’s creative torch.

Quick turnarounds and keeping up with PR trends means our team has to be able to adapt. PR is a dynamic field where unexpected challenges or changes arise.

“Being in the leadership position, skills like adaptability and resilience help my team navigate these challenges.”

The event the Honeybee Discovery Center is hosting this November has been an example of adaptability. This event sprouted from a casino night idea then evolved into a fundraising opportunity drawing thanks to our dear friend, the IRS. This meant all content prepped for the event had to be changed in language to follow IRS regulations. In order to garner attention and reactions, our team has been creating more opportunities of exposure through local advertisements and media visibility to increase ticket sales.

Communication

Coming into TGC as an Account Executive means that the connection between you and the client is crucial. Communication is part of being an effective leader in order to deliver clear and concise information. Before our work began I had a conversation with our client. There were clear and concise expectations from Nicole based on her previous experiences. It was my responsibility to assure her our team would deliver on communication and adaptability. It is also my responsibility to relay that with our team as well. A good flow of information helps the entire process sail smoothly towards success.

Connect with Your Team

I believe one of the most important leadership skills to have is relationship building. Building and maintaining relationships with my team and our client fosters brand growth. Demonstrating interpersonal skills, empathy, and the ability to connect with my team is the reason why we have been successful. Our client has given us the opportunity to create a team bond over the love of bees and nature. Taking a work trip to their learning center feels more like a fun outing rather than a task. Of course, we take our work seriously. Refreshing our brains with fun ideas was a bonus!

Who doesn’t want to have their hard work noticed? Complimenting your team members gives them a boost. In difficult or stressful assignments, it’s the validation we need even if we do have to edit our work. Being in a career that always has to be on top of trends, it is easy to get stuck in a rut. I always try to compliment my team members for their hard work whether or not there is constructive criticism. Bouncing ideas off one another can elevate the quality of work our client is able to have.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

We’re all in this together. As a Wildcat, that line stays heavy in my mind whenever I think about reaching out to my team for advice. I have always struggled with asking for help. In my mind, as a leader I should be able to make decisions and problem solve for my team. However, that is not how TGC works. Our leadership team consists of three amazing seasoned TGC staff and our extraordinary advisor who are always willing to help. Asking for help is not a weakness but rather a strength. It promotes collaboration and sets a positive example for the rest of the team by demonstrating that it is okay to ask for input or expertise from others. The outcome often leads to a better solution or result than originally offered. I have relied on our leadership team on multiple occasions for advice or revisions. Not only do I have a better product for our clients, I have created that relationship with my peers and mentors. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, chances are someone else is also struggling with the same thing you are.

In just one semester, my role as an Account Executive at TGC has provided me with a valuable glimpse into the world of PR. Initially, I was nervous, but thanks to the unwavering support and positivity of the staff, my apprehension turned into genuine enjoyment.

Being part of TGC has not only allowed me to witness first hand what a career in PR entails, but has also placed me in a leadership position, preparing me for the realities of the PR industry. I embrace every opportunity to learn and grow with the goal of applying these experiences and knowledge to my future career as a PR professional.

October 10, 2023October 10, 2023

Managing Mental Health When Working With Social Media

By: Carrington Power

“Socials can be a joy- with the right team, fair compensation and an adequate amount of support,” – Miciah Garcia, digital media coordinator at Chico State

It’s no secret that social media has negatively impacted the mental health of many users. Bullying, sleep disruption and unrealistic expectations about appearance are a few aspects of social media that are prevalent and can drain someone’s mental health. Deleting the apps entirely or limiting time spent on the phone can be solutions. However, people working in public relations and other fields that require social media are not always able to do this.

A 2022 study conducted by Opinium and the Public Relations and Communications Association shows that 90% of PR professionals struggle with their mental health.

This can be the result of an overwhelming workload, feeling unfulfilled in a current position or mentally-taxing work.

Chico State’s Digital Media Coordinator, Miciah Garcia, described her experience working as a social media manager for a California racial justice non-profit during the height of the Black Lives Matter Movement.

“It took a mental toll, shaping messaging for socials after George Floyd’s murder, and for following instances of violence and injustice,” Garcia said.

Garcia went on to say that there were a lot of positives occurring on social media during that time, such as an increase in education regarding racial injustice and a highlight in important messages and voices. Despite the heavy subject matter, she focused on the positives of her work and kept a brighter outlook.

Another aspect of mental health struggles in public relations is keeping a healthy work-life balance. Andrew Staples, Chico State’s public relations manager, makes a to-do list for each workday and reviews it at the end of his day. Although there is always more work to finish, there is a feeling of accomplishment when examining the work that you have completed.

“Public relations and strategic communications is not a 9-5 job. There will be times when you are working after hours pursuing a good story or dealing with a bad one,” Staples said, “However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t practice good work-life balance habits.”

Staples also mentions that it can be helpful to set a boundary for when you stop checking work emails and messages.

“…When I worked in the Bay Area in the tech industry, I made a rule not to check my email after 9 p.m.,” Staples said, “That way, I wouldn’t see something come in late and get spun up and not be able to sleep at night.”

Both Garcia and Staples have some advice for students pursuing or about to go into the public relations and communications fields.

“I’d urge any social media professional to try to keep things in perspective,” Staples said, “Understand the negative comments on social media are going to be from people who are passionate and don’t necessarily mean the messaging of a particular post didn’t meet your goals.”

Garcia emphasizes that working as a content creator online can be a positive experience if you work with a good team and are fairly compensated. However, when work begins to seep into your personal life, it’s essential to put limits on what you are and are not willing to do.

“…Give yourself boundaries that protect your mental health, like no phone/computer time throughout your week,” Garcia said, “And on your vacation days/mental health days, I encourage you to completely unplug from work.”

While working in PR and with social media can seem stressful, there are ways to combat the stress through keeping a positive mindset, a healthy work-life balance and setting boundaries. Social media does not always have to seem like a negative thing, taking steps to protect your mental health is essential and can lead to an overall increase in self-fulfillment.

April 24, 2023

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

What makes a good team member? Tools and advice from a first-time Account Executive.

By Arya Patel

As PR professionals, teamwork is a crucial part of the job. Employers look for collaboration and leadership skills when hiring. Through my time in the Journalism and Public Relations Department at Chico State, I have collaborated with many different people. Here are tips I try to integrate while working with teams to become an effective member.

Communication

Communication is the most important tool to becoming a great team member. Even if you are unsure or confused about what needs to be done, communication with your fellow members and management can clear the fog for everyone involved in a project. It can also be used as a tool to reach out for help when you are overwhelmed or faced with stress and burnout. Communicate early and often for the best chance of success.

“Good team players understand what the team needs and why.” –Cisco

As a first-time AE, I have seen how crucial understanding those around you is. Making sure your team has measurable goals and ways to track them is a great tool to reference in times of uncertainty. It also creates a space for assistant account executives to tap into what they are interested in. There’s a sense of work accountability when evaluating your team’s needs. Another tool that has been very helpful is creating a timeline. Timelines help keep the team on track and “physically” see the process and its deadlines. Delegate work early and create an easy-to-follow timeline and your AAEs will have somewhere to refer back to. My favorite thing about timelines is being able to check off the boxes- it is such a satisfying moment.

A strong work ethic

Being able to push yourself without other people telling you what to do is something any person in charge loves. Observe people you look up to and try to mimic their work ethic, take notes and listen– especially in a new position. Self-discipline is also key to creating a strong work ethic. Make a list of things you want to accomplish [during the day, week, specific activity] that way you can visualize your goals. Remember, focus on what you can control, not what is outside of your control.

Flexibility/ Reliability

Being flexible is like being able to play any position on the field. Your coach can put you in left field, third base or shortstop and you can be an all-star at any of those positions.

Being a reliable person is someone an AE or team lead needs on their team.

Half of the work is to show up, if you show up you can ask questions, clarify and collaborate on things. If you don’t, your team will be resentful toward you during future projects. This semester for my client Krood, I took the initiative with a creative idea, which gave both my AE and client a sense of reliability. During our second client meeting, I pitched the idea of implementing filler posts through her feed. Filler posts are a “breathing space” on an Instagram feed that separates busy posts with lighter content. Our client loved the idea and gave me full creative range, my work is now published on her website and social channels!

A positive attitude can go a long way in every aspect of your life, especially in work life. Encourage your team members to do their best every step of the way. Positivity creates a healthy, collaborative environment where all will feel welcome. Even if you feel confused, understanding those emotions and looking for the positives during tough situations can make all the difference.

April 18, 2023

Non-Profit PR: Gaining Visibility Through Storytelling

By Stephen Taylor

The non-profit industry is full of selfless people. Some common attributes in non-profit workers are passion, kindness and activism. The goal of non-profit companies is for the benefit of society. As a public relations major, I can contribute to this goal through storytelling.

Storytelling humanizes a brand. By giving your company personality, you make it easier for people to connect with you emotionally.

A story is a combination of facts and emotions. Companies tend to focus on factual elements to be effective storytellers in the business sense, but you must also find a way to weave emotion into the narrative and bring your story to life. Any goal where the right message and content might make a difference is an opportunity for storytelling.

Storytelling is an extremely important basis for any company, but especially for non-profits. Non-profit organizations can evoke large amounts of empathy from their target audiences because of the nature of their work yet they may have very limited resources.

According to a public relations website, Wild Apricot, “In the U.S., just over 2% of non-profits account for 90% of all revenue in the sector.”

Not having the funds to run large marketing campaigns is largely due to poor storytelling. This leads to lower engagement and lower donor rates. An important way to combat this is to develop a storytelling strategy that aligns with the values of your brand.

“Any goal where the right message and content might make a difference is an opportunity for storytelling.”

The first step to developing a storytelling strategy is creating guidelines to determine the story you want to tell. It is important to use language that describes what you want your company to be known for.

For example:

Are you a loving and tender non-profit that helps save the bees?

Are you a stern and progressive non-profit that fights to save the bees?

Both of these address the issue of saving the bees, but the language used is entirely different. This is an opportunity to separate yourself from other companies.

Brand Guidelines

The next step is building your brand identity statement. This is a company’s agreed upon way of how they present itself across all platforms. At its core, a brand guideline will outline what colors and fonts to use, as well as when to use assets such as logos or other art. An example is Asana, who fit their entire brand guide on one webpage.

A great brand guideline will outline how the company talks about itself. Think of it as the key message that will be woven into your storytelling piece. An example here is Urban Outfitters, who crafted a brand book detailing their mission and exemplifying their brand.

Gaining Visibility

After you have your key messages and brand cemented, getting your mission out to your target audiences is the next step. It is important to utilize the press. For newsworthy events or releases, having a good relationship with your local news stations can only benefit you.

Prepare a pitch of what your company stands for so journalists get clear facts and information. Demonstrate a vision of how your organization benefits the public, and why it is important enough to be covered. Passion begets passion. If you are able to convince the journalist you are contacting to care about your cause, then you can develop a lasting relationship.

There are many opportunities to bolster your relationship with the media. Small actions such as sending a calendar of events or meeting for a meal can be mutually beneficial for all parties involved. Once you establish a strong relationship, it becomes much easier to generate visibility for your organization.

The non-profit industry needs more public relations assistance. Helping to connect passionate people to great stories is a public service. I hope to use storytelling and the public relations skills I have developed at Chico State to help heal the earth.

March 22, 2023

Tips on Boosting Productivity

By Daisy Beltran

Productivity is an essential aspect of our daily lives, whether we are working or pursuing personal goals.

One benefit to productivity is that it allows us to accomplish tasks at a faster rate. When we are productive, we can complete our tasks through a structured manner and move on to other important activities. The sense of accomplishment kicks in and the motivation for completing other tasks helps us finish our goals.

Another benefit of being productive is that it can help to reduce stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety are common obstacles in productivity. The stress can feel so overwhelming that it hinders our daily routines. But when we have a clear plan for completing our tasks, we can avoid feeling overwhelmed about what needs to be done. This can help to improve our mental health and reduce the negative effects of stress on our bodies.

A common struggle is taking the first step. There is no need to jump in full force to your tasks. It’s okay to begin things at your own pace.

“Simplicity boils down to two steps: Identify the essential. Eliminate the rest.”

― Leo Babauta

Here are a few tips to help boost your productivity on a day-to-day basis. For additional tips, visit Wix.com to maintain a stress-free lifestyle.

Set clear goals and priorities: Establish clear goals and priorities for each day or week, and make a list of tasks to accomplish them. Use tools like to-do lists, calendars and reminders to help you stay organized and focused. Using reminders can help eliminate distractions. By doing so, you can maintain concentration and avoid wasting time on unimportant activities.

Eliminate distractions: Turn off notifications and avoid interruptions during work hours. Try to work in a quiet and clutter-free environment. Visiting a library or a public workspace can be beneficial. The simple act of eliminating distractions at home can be the beginning of a productive day. If your task remains at home, turn your phone on “do not disturb” as the notification ringtone can hinder your focus or enhance temptations.

Being productive means achieving our goals efficiently and effectively within a set time frame. It requires a combination of focus, discipline and motivation.

Use technology to your advantage: Although technology can be distracting at times, productivity apps and tools such as time-tracking apps and task management software can help you stay organized and focused. Evernote helps many people stay organized through reminders and different format tools. The Notion app is another way to maintain a balanced life. The app allows users to create folders, reminders, lists, and connect your Google calendar to the app. Whether you need to create a grocery list, errands, reminders, or goals. It’s a personalized app to make stressful tasks easier one step at a time. Technology was made to make our lives easier so don’t be afraid to take advantage!

Prioritize the most important tasks: Most people feel overwhelmed with the immense number of different tasks. Learning to prioritize the most important ones over the easiest ones can be a step that’ll make stress and anxiety decrease. Focus on completing the most important tasks first. This will help you stay on track and avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Stay healthy: Take care of your physical and mental health by getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. You may be tired of being told to “eat a healthy diet” but, it’s so commonly advised because it’s true. A healthy diet feeds your body nutrients that give you the energy you need to live a productive lifestyle.

By setting clear goals, prioritizing tasks, eliminating distractions and maintaining good physical and mental health, we can increase our productivity and accomplish more in less time. Whether you are pursuing personal or professional goals, being productive can help you achieve success and fulfillment in all areas of life.

March 20, 2023

5 Tips for Staying Informed as a PR Student

5 Tips To Staying Informed For PR Students graphic

By Paige Seguine

For public relations professionals, it is crucial to stay informed about current events and industry news. It is important to understand what is going on in your clients’ industry to better understand and address their needs. As PR students, our time in college is essential for preparing ourselves for postgrad careers. A great way to do that is by getting in the habit of reading the news, tracking trending stories and keeping up with our local and national communities.

However, staying informed is easier said than done. It is overwhelming trying to keep up with the fast-paced, never-ending news cycle. As future PR practitioners, however, it is important to develop those skills as early as possible to succeed in the future. Here are some tips to become well-rounded readers and stay up-to-date on what’s happening in the PR industry:

Mobile News Apps

Traditional news media is a great way to get a glimpse of everything happening in the world. Local and national news outlets cover a wide range of topics and are constantly updated. Almost every outlet now has a mobile app that makes getting information accessible and easy to find. Phone providers like Apple and Samsung have their own apps that aggregate trending news stories. This is a great way to find out what is happening when you start your day. Setting notifications on these stories keeps you in the loop as they progress, too.

Utilizing Twitter

Twitter is a great source of information, especially in the PR and media industries. The ‘Trending’ section shows you what topics are currently popular and what audiences are saying. Content on Twitter moves quickly and can provide you with the most recent thoughts about your organizations. People take to the platform to share their thoughts about positive and controversial news. Users are honest and straightforward, which makes for useful qualitative feedback. Understanding how to use Twitter is key to connecting with stakeholders and scanning your client’s environment.

Checking Google Alerts

Google Alerts is a great way to track web mentions of your client, a product or a hashtag. Sometimes you just need to figure out what people are looking for concerning your client. Alerts let you pick multiple keywords and set notifications for updates. For example, searching “Chico State” provides you with the most recent news articles containing the phrase in the title or body. This can help PR professionals track media coverage as quickly as possible and stay up to date all day long as new stories are published.

Reading Trade News

Not only is it important to track your client’s media coverage but, it is imperative to stay up to date on PR industry news as a whole. This helps you understand trends and tactics, updates to your clients’ industries and competitor news. Trade organizations including PR Week, PR Daily and PR Newswire share industry news, press releases and tips for a wide range of topics. They provide information about events, awards and networking opportunities that can help you connect with your client and their audiences. Trade publications are a helpful resource for truly navigating the career field and building your professional knowledge.

Listening to Podcasts

Not everyone loves reading news articles and staring at their screens to get their daily dose of information. Instead, podcasts offer need-to-know information with easy listening. If you’re looking for traditional news content, podcasts like The Daily focus on the biggest news stories of the day. The Spin Sucks and other media podcasts offer insight into PR, marketing and advertising content that makes for productive listening. Podcasts allow listeners to absorb important information without feeling overwhelmed by busy copy.

Reading the news can sometimes feel slow and overwhelming but for public relations practitioners, it is more than just reading the news.

Our job is to keep an eye out for what is going on in our industry, between our clients and their audiences, and our competitors’ behaviors.

As students, we use our time to prepare for our future careers. Using these five resources, we can build the necessary skills to become informed, successful PR professionals.