Elizabeth Christian & Associates Public Relations Blog

Are Fundraising Events Worth It In A Down Economy?

I’ve heard rumblings that in our current economic climate, fundraising events aren’t bringing in the amount of guests and money that they used to for philanthropic organizations in Austin.

My thought is that fundraising events aren’t always about how much money can be raised; although, raising lots of money is wonderful and very helpful—don’t get me wrong! What I think people fail to remember is the potential for influential relationships to be forged by simply sharing a dinner table or starting a conversation over cocktails and the difference that those relationships can make for a deserving organization in the future.

Concordia University Texas recently held its third annual Excellence in Leadership (EIL) Gala. Each year, the EIL Gala recognizes an outstanding Christian leader and raises money for the University’s annual scholarship fund. This year, Concordia honored Senator Kirk Watson.

Austin American-Statesman social columnist, Michael Barnes, attended the event and covered it in his well-read column “Out & About” in the August 25 edition of the paper. Barnes presented some points that I think people forget when forming opinions about fundraisers and charity events, why to have them and why to attend.

For guests, fundraising events are prime opportunities to meet new people and renew friendships. For organizations, these events are an ideal way to showcase who you are. For Concordia, the EIL Gala presents an opportunity for people who wouldn’t normally be on the University’s beautiful campus to put faces to the University name and meet its students, faculty and staff—the people who embody and practice the University’s mission of Christian leadership.

The annual gala has received an overwhelming response, selling out every year since its inception in 2007 and honoring notable leaders including, Roger T. Staubach, executive chairman of The Staubach Company and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, and Austin business and community leader Tom Stacy, president of T. Stacy & Associates.

I think that Michael said it best in his column; the EIL Gala is “bonding potential future givers to the Lutheran institution.” Sometimes, we focus too much on the present and the type of support we need right now and forget to think about cultivating relationships that will lead to future support—whether it is monetary or personal support.

Events, like the EIL Gala, with the support of a notable honoree, like Senator Watson, and a devoted chair, like Elizabeth Christian, help, as Barnes mentioned, “propagate the word” about deserving organizations, such as “upwardly aimed Concordia.”

Well said Michael, and well done Concordia!

Lindsey Erwin

Networking 101

A few weeks ago, one of our summer interns asked me to review her resume. Not long after, I thought about dispensing some resume writing hints and tips for soon-to-be college graduates for our firm’s blog.

But then it hit me: I applied for nearly 120 jobs or internships (yes, I was counting, out of curiosity  and because it was easier to keep track of follow ups and the status of each application) between January and May, 2008. As it turns out, I ended up with two job offers a few days after graduation. I received some interviews as a result of all those resumes I sent out, but neither of the two offers resulted from the said 120 applications. Rather, they were both a result of having met someone during those four stress-filled months who were in PR and/or who knew of someone who had an opening.

So the moral of the story, soon-to-be college graduate, is that your first job out of school may not be a result of sending out resumes.

However, here are some things you can do to improve your chances of landing that first job from that one person you met that one time:

• The obvious one: get involved with the student chapter of a professional organization. The most popular option is usually PRSSA but there are others: International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) or American Marketing Association (AMA), for instance.
• That student organization usually has ties to the closest “grown-up” chapter. Although some chapters are a lot more active than others, they normally have some sort of monthly gathering and tend to be welcoming of students. When you do attend these events, avoid hanging out with people you know. You’re there to make new connections, not mingle with your friends or people you already know.
• Don’t be afraid to leave your surroundings and everything that’s familiar to you. So many people end up settling for jobs they don't particularly care for or are overqualified for only because they are afraid to leave their comfort zone.
• LinkedIn. It’s a remarkable tool for connecting with potential employers. Whenever you meet someone at a networking event, add them to your network. Be sure to include a short reminder of how you met and who you are instead of the standard "Join my network” message.
• Intern, more than once. A lot of people will tell you all you need is one internship. Guess again. In this economy, you will need every advantage you can get. Not only will it give you more experience, but it will widen your professional network.

Good luck!

-Andre Lenartowicz

A Reader’s Advice for the Statesman

It’s been headline news here in Austin—the Austin American-Statesman is no longer for sale. With this announcement, I’m sure that we, the readers, will see some changes in our daily paper.

In this time of transition in the newsroom, I have a piece of advice to offer.

Sure, I don’t have any actual experience as a journalist (unlike some of my colleagues here at ECPR). And I’ve never worked on the business side of a newspaper (unlike other colleagues at the firm). But I am a reader. I subscribe to the Statesman at home; I read it online at work; I follow reporters on Twitter. You get the picture.

So here it is, my sage advice:

Don’t become so focused on “new media” that you forget about the good, old-fashioned print edition.

I don’t think I’m alone in the enjoyment that I gain from the morning ritual of walking down my driveway, picking up the paper and savoring it with a cup of coffee each morning. There are things in print, such as the work of the Statesman’s photographers, that just aren’t displayed as well online.

Breaking news is important, and I know that many people check news Web sites or follow Twitter feeds throughout the day for updates. But the print edition makes the space for the in-depth, feature-style stories that I love. There have been stories that have been written so well that I’ve had to read them twice. (Thank you, Mary Ann Roser.) One Saturday, I was late to my sons’ swimming lessons because I just had to finish an article by Tony Plohetski. And let’s not neglect the columns; readers really look forward to columns by Andrea Ball or John Kelso, for example.

Don’t misunderstand me. Blogs are fine, too. But I know the rules for the word count of a blog, and you can’t squeeze much detail into one of these.

I’ve been told that, according to research, those of us in Gen X or Gen Y aren’t supposed to like reading an actual newspaper. A lady never tells her age, but I will go as far as saying that I’m in one of these age groups. And I, for one, wouldn’t trade my morning newspaper for all of the new media apps, feeds or Tweets in the world.

Is anyone out there with me on this?

-Kristin Marcum

How to Survive, Not Drown, in a Bad-News Deluge

Late last month, a panicked friend called me. She needed some PR advice, and she needed it right away. What could have possibly happened to cause my friend, who’s not famous and not someone who gets into trouble, to seek my PR counsel?

She and her husband were told they were on a brand-new list of the biggest household consumers of water in Austin.

Ouch.

My friend feared that as a result of appearing on this less-than-illustrious list, the fairly modest home she shares with her husband would be picketed. What sort of public insults might be hurled at them?

It turns out that a billing mix-up triggered their water woes. Their home wasn’t, as the list indicated, one of the largest water guzzlers in town. Thankfully, they’d be spared from public humiliation.

Problem solved, right? Not so fast. Two local media outlets already had gotten wind of the list. So my friend had to act quickly to head off any bad—and wrong—news about their water torture.

Here is a mix of the advice I gave my friend and some customary advice. Call this a mini-lesson in Crisis Communications 101:

1. Relax. Take a deep breath. Clear your mind. Take another deep breath. Then figure out your strategy.

2. Jump on it. Calling a reporter or editor right away can mean the difference between getting your side of the story told and entirely missing that opportunity. It even could result in being left completely out of the story—in my friend’s water scenario, that’s a very good thing.

3. Share information. If you have documentation that backs up your story, offer it to a reporter or editor (unless, of course, it’s confidential material).

4. Be cooperative and friendly. Acting frantically or hysterically won’t score you any points.

5. Be kind. Remember that reporters and editors aren’t monsters, although folks like Geraldo Rivera have given their profession a black eye. By and large, reporters aren’t out to make you quiver in your wingtips or heels. They’re simply doing their jobs; they’re trying to get accurate information. And, by the way, they’re humans—just like you and me.

-John Egan 

If I Only Knew Then...

As Elizabeth mentioned in her last post, the ECPR staff is going to participate in this blog on a rotating basis. I would like to think that I was “chosen” to start off because of my vast stores of PR knowledge, but it was more likely only because I happened to be sitting next to Elizabeth when we had our recent discussion about the future of the blog. Either way, I’m pleased to give it a go.

Elizabeth mentioned that our staff is comprised of folks who were born in several different decades. Well, my decade is further back in history than most of the others, except for our fearless leader. Elizabeth and I were both born in Austin in the mid ‘50’s, within 18 months of each other, and were even delivered by the same obstetrician! In many ways, we’ve lived parallel lives, growing up in the same neighborhood, going to the same schools and living in California for many of our early adult years.

Like many baby boomers, we find ourselves looking around frequently and wondering how we got to be this, uh, experienced. It seems like college—heck, even junior high—was just yesterday. All of this is leading up to the point of my blog post:

If I only knew then what I know now: Or, what I would tell a PR graduate as they enter the workforce.

Here is my top 10 list of qualities that make an effective and successful PR professional.

1. Be honest. Always be truthful in your dealings with others (co-workers, clients, reporters) and advise your clients to do the same regardless of the circumstances.

2. Have integrity. It’s simple: do the right thing. If you make a mistake, admit it and apologize. (And, again, advise your clients to do the same.)

3. Be mature. In public relations, we frequently deal with the most senior executives at our clients’ companies. Think of someone in your own life who you admire and try to emulate them. In my own life, there are several who come to mind: Elizabeth’s father, George Christian, who I loved and admired; former Los Angeles Times publisher Tom Johnson, and closer to home, our own Bruce Todd, who offices right across the hall!

4. Take a strategic approach. Do your homework, know all you can about your clients’ business and THEIR customers. Be analytical in your planning. We don’t expect our clients to tell us what needs to be done; that’s why they hired us in the first place.

5. Work hard, but smart. Impressing the boss doesn’t just mean working long hours (though it doesn’t hurt). It’s even more important to proactively consider ways to improve our service to our clients. Regardless of your level in the organization, show leadership.

6. Consume media. At this stage in my life, I’m noticing that most of the CEO’s of our client companies are actually my contemporaries (some are even younger!). These folks DO still read a daily newspaper, as do many of their target audiences. To be effective in PR, it’s imperative that you read the local newspaper every day, watch broadcast and cable television news regularly, and listen to commercial radio and NPR. And yes, it is also important that all PR folks, regardless of age, be completely up to speed on social media and other tools for raising your clients’ visibility on the Internet (Wikipedia, Youtube, search engine optimization, etc.).

7. Be a proactive learner. Know who the VIPs are in town, including elected officials, heads of major corporations and social leaders. Know how state, county and city governments work and who the players are. Take some marketing and advertising classes. Consider an MBA.

8. Keep your sense of humor. Sometimes humor, if used appropriately, can diffuse even the most difficult situation (though when in doubt, err on the side of caution).

9. Achieve balance in your life. With today’s news cycles continuing round the clock, PR can be a 24-hour-a-day job. While you need to be accessible to your clients in a true emergency during “off hours,” you must also ensure that your priorities are balanced. (Ok, this one can be challenging at times—just ask my children!)

10. Take a genuine interest in your clients’ successes. We succeed when our clients succeed…it’s really that simple. When we are able to contribute to their success, we are very likely to remain partners for many years to come.

My last bit of advice? Have fun. Every day is a new adventure in PR, which is one reason that I love this career. You never know what’s around the corner and you get to spend your days with smart, funny and successful people while doing creative and interesting work. And, it only gets better as the years go by.

-Meg Meo