Southern PR

Weddings Weddings Weddings, y'all

2011-12-05T13:02:00.005-06:00

So, I recently received a copy of Southern Weddings magazine in the mail and I absolutely LOVE it. If you don't have a copy, I suggest you pick one up ASAP!

Check out some of their amazing vendors:

Lilly Pulitzer

Need I say more? I am (and have always been) obsessed with Lilly. I was just in my local Lilly store the other day looking for a rehearsal dinner dress. The one I picked in the store is the strapless Blossom Dress in cameo/white sizzle strips; I put it on my Christmas list, but it is no longer on the website... pretty please Santa or Lilly Goddesses! If that dress is long gone - as good things are when you wait to long. I am also in LOVE with the Hotty Pink Glitzy Stripe Sherry Dress (also below). Check out Southern Wedding Magazine's blog to enter to win!

ANGEE W

These clutches from Angee W are so cute that I just HAD to share. My amazing bridesmaids consist of my two cousins (maid of honors), my fiance's two sister-in-laws, my college best friend (and fellow bride-to-be) and three best friends from growing up (one recently hitched and one engaged). These clutches would be the PERFECT complement to our southern theme and I know they would love them!

Plumb Pretty Sugar

Who wouldn't love a super cute loungerie set from Plumb Pretty Sugar? Unfortunately, I had not heard of the company until today - but I am SO glad Southern Weddings turned me on to another amazing vendor and can't wait to show all my other engaged friends!

p.s. Santa, I NEED this Pink Love Poppy Honeymoon set.

Journey Lockets

How cute are these lockets? I would LOVE to have one hanging from my bouquet with a monogram. Also loving the photo lockets - GREAT gifts for friends and family... and even your wedding party.

Paperfinger

After browsing the website, I absolutely LOVE the paperfinger products... especially the custom address stamp. I have actually been looking for one to use for our thank you notes; the gifts are starting to come in for our March wedding and it would be perfect. I can't even decide between the letting styles because they are all so unique - but G and H are probably my favorites. I also love their custom ribbon.. what a great idea!

How to Get a Social Media Job in 5 Min...

2011-10-14T12:19:00.000-05:00

10 Workplace Habits That Could Cost You Your Career

2011-10-14T09:33:00.000-05:00

provided by Forbes.com

by Meghan Casserly

Experts agree that in the current employment climate, bad behavior is becoming less and less something employers tolerate -- and more of a fireable offense. "For every one of you, there are a 100 people lining up to take your job," says Kiki Weingarten, an executive career coach based in New York City. "Employers are more able than ever to be as picky as they want."

Here, four leading career coaches offer 10 bad workplace habits they've seen that send employees down the road to poor reviews. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Habit: You're addicted to email

In meetings, with clients, with your boss, you just can't stop scrolling through your BlackBerry. You think you're being productive by making sure you don't miss a message while stuck in the weekly sales meeting but your colleagues (particularly those speaking) see it as a personal insult. Constantly checking your smart phone conveys a real sense of arrogance, says Princeton, New Jersey-based communication coach Matt Eventoff.

How to break it:

Put the BlackBerry down," says Eventoff, "especially if you're in a meeting." Turn it off, put it away, leave it in your office. "If you're waiting for a particular, time-sensitive email, let your coworkers know beforehand," Eventoff says, "Otherwise your BlackBerry has no place at the meeting."

Habit: You're a brown-noser

Nobody likes a kiss-up, and in the office one too many well-placed compliments could leave you with this reviled reputation. Say yes to everything a higher-up asks for, and your teammates will easily resent your enthusiasm. Even worse, your boss might see through your constant congratulations and think you more a nuisance than a constructive team-member.

How to break it:

Take a look at the last 10 things you've said yes to, whether opinions of your supervisor or tasks around the office. Is there anything you disagree to when you think honestly about them? Learning to say no every now and then will show both your supervisors and your teammates that you actually have a spine.

Habit: You're a busy-body

Do you mind your own business or is your ear constantly perked for the latest gossip or office happenings? Check yourself. You habit of needing to be in the know is likely a source of stress for your coworkers. Whether it's the movement of colleagues within the company or who's meeting who for post-work cocktails, making everything your business spells trouble.

How to break it:

If it's information you need to perform in your position, schedule weekly meetings with colleagues and team meeting to stay on top of pertinent happenings. Otherwise wait for information to come to you and avoid the urge to jump into overheard conversations. If all else fails, invest in some headphones.

Habit: Your email etiquette is lacking

If your outbox reads more like a firing squad than friendly exchanges, it may be time to take a look at your communication style. "It's very rarely that emails are being perceived as too meek," says Eventoff. "As email has no tone, no emotions, no intonation, it's very easy for your short emails to be perceived as pushy, demanding or impatient."

How to break it:

If poor email habits persist, bad feelings are bound to brew in a team, Eventoff says. Make a habit of reading over emails before you send and gauge how they might be received, particularly if they're directed to someone outside of your office.

Habit: You're full of excuses

You may have forgotten the zip drive with your presentation notes, but you're not about to admit it. You don't know the answer to your supervisor's questions but try to talk your way around it. The result is that you've wasted not just your own time, but your manager's and colleagues' as well.

How to break it:

Set a reminder ten minutes before the start of every meeting on your docket, says Patrick Flannery, an executive advisor based in Arlington, Virginia. "Better 10 minutes of your own time to gather necessary papers and gather your thoughts then 20 minutes spent making excuses in front of colleagues."

Habit: You're a multi-tasking mess

Technology has made multi-tasking the norm in most workplaces, but experts say it's causing more problems than productivity. If you've been caught more than once missing pertinent information in emails or correspondence — especially deadlines, dollar signs or project elements—it might be a sign you're not as skilled at juggling tasks as you think, according to Roy Cohen, career consultant and author of "The Wall Street Professional's Survival Guide."

How to break it:

Make a conscious effort to focus on only the task (or phone call or email) in front of you. Read each email thoroughly and respond before moving on to the next. "And don't answer the phone until you're finished," Flannery warns. The habit of juggling different tasks is hard to break, but if your performance is suffering it's unavoidable.

Habit: You're a prima donna

"That's not in my job description." The problem with setting too many boundaries at work—whether it's saying no to tasks or assignments you feel aren't your responsibility, or keeping iron-clad 9-to-4:59 hours—is that when you think "self-protective," your coworkers think "jerk." And if that "somebody" are your colleagues and managers, you'll quickly find you've done yourself no favors by sticking to your guns. Chances are it's not in their contracts either.

How to break it:

The next time an unattractive task comes across your desk, ask yourself who'll have to tackle it if you pass it off. Recognize that in periods of downsizing, everyone must pick up extra slack—and your reputation will suffer if you make yourself the exception.

Habit: You're the office thief

If pens keep "appearing" on your desktop that are not yours, chances are you have a "borrowing" problem. Walking off with people's pens, staplers or favorite coffee mugs is never going to win you any love.

How to break it:

Label your own things, or at least stick to a certain, identifiable brand of pens. This may seem counter intuitive, says Flannery, but the second you see a pen on your desk that isn't "your brand," you'll make a conscious effort to remember whose it is -- and return it.

Habit: Your style does you no favors

Personal style is one thing. Questionable style is another. When your supervisor questions whether your look is "client-appropriate" you've got a fashion-work conflict that could cost you your next promotion.

How to break it:

Imagine the closet of the person you admire most at the office, Cohen suggests. How do they dress and why does it suit their position in the company? Imagine their daily wardrobe decisions. Then go shopping with your role model in mind.

Habit: You're quick-tempered

"An angry employee is a dangerous employee," says Cohen, who has spent twenty years coaching fiery execs. "Managers are wary of employees who are quick to anger. They know what 'going postal' means." If your blood pressure spikes every time the photocopier breaks down, or assistants scatter when you enter a room, it's time to reexamine your behavior. Uneasy or uncomfortable coworkers are unlikely to sing your praises.

How to break it:

To lose the reputation of a loose cannon, make an effort to pause before reacting to a stressful situation. Flannery suggests closing your office door and taking several deep breaths, and "by all means, avoid venting to coworkers before thinking it through." If all else fails, Cohen says to seek counseling. "Chances are you're angry about more than just the job."

More from Forbes.com:

Best Cities for Working Women

Toxic Colleagues: Nine Coworkers to Avoid

10 Emails That Could Cost You Your Job

Two to follow...

2011-09-28T16:10:00.000-05:00

I recently discovered two great things in the world of weddings....

The Perfect Palette

AND

Delovely Details

Make sure you follow them on facebook and check out this adorable wedding dress hangers. MUST HAVE!

Miracle Treat Day - Oct. 11

2011-08-11T15:39:00.000-05:00

Go buy a blizzard today!

love me some HBI

2011-08-09T13:39:00.000-05:00

So, a couple of weeks ago, I dedicated my post to the top 3 wedding blogs I follow (one being Honey Bee Invites). They are having a contest right now giving away the cutest wedding signs. I saw a similar one on stylemepretty and have been looking for them ever since.

Some other great finds on HBI's website that I would love for my wedding:

Super southern invitations

Wedding Map... Savannah of course

Monogrammed cards - thank you notes

Wedding Friday

2011-07-29T10:22:00.000-05:00

In honor of my slowly approaching wedding date (only 239 days to go!), I figured I would dedicate a post to wedding inspiration. Here are a few of the best (and my favorite) wedding blogs around...

1. STYLE ME PRETTY

This is my absolute favorite. So many great ideas and always amazing pictures.

2. 100 LAYER CAKE

Love the DIY section

3. THE SECRET LIFE OF INVITES

Soooo cute. LOVE hbi!

America’s Best Cities for Young Professionals

2011-07-27T09:47:00.000-05:00

According to a recent article from Forbes, the top cities for young professionals are:

1. Des Moines, Iowa
M.S.A.: Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa
Average Annual Job Growth (2010-2012): 0.99%
Median salary: $47,200
Cost-of-living index (U.S. average is 100): 92
Percent of pop. with college degrees: 33.8%
1 small business for every 50 residents
1 large business for every 568 residents
Unemployment rate: 5.8%
The corn-belt city has the most big businesses per capita, a brag-worthy unemployment rate, low cost of living and a flourishing number of young professionals residing in the area.

2. Raleigh, N.C.
M.S.A.: Raleigh-Cary, N.C.
Average Annual Job Growth (2010-2012): 2%
Median salary: $51,500
Cost-of-living index (U.S. average is 100): 104.4
Percent of pop. with college degrees: 42.2%
1 small business for every 49 residents
1 large business for every 770 residents
Unemployment rate: 7.9%
The college town has one of the best job growth projections of any city we assessed and the 16th best average salary for young professionals, exceeded only by markedly more expensive cities.

3. Madison, Wis.
M.S.A.: Madison, Wis.
Average Annual Job Growth (2010-2012): 0.89%
Median salary: $4 7,100 Cost-of-living index (U.S. average is 100): 102.6
Percent of pop. with college degrees: 41%
1 small business for every 48 residents
1 large business for every 689 residents
Unemployment rate: 5.3%
Wisconsin's capital city boasts a low unemployment rate thanks to governmental jobs and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a growing number of biotech and advertising companies.

4. Salt Lake City, Utah
M.S.A.: Salt Lake City, Utah
Average Annual Job Growth (2010-2012): 1.32%
Median salary: $51,200
Cost-of-living index (U.S. average is 100): 103.9
Percent of pop. with college degrees: 29.7%
1 small business for every 43 residents
1 large business for every 764 residents
Unemployment rate: 7.2%
A large number of small businesses per capita, a high concentration of banks and good paychecks mean the "Crossroads of the West" offers opportunity to young professionals.

5. Omaha, Neb.
M.S.A.: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA Average
Annual Job Growth (2010-2012): 0.82%
Median salary: $45,400
Cost-of-living index (U.S. average is 100): 91.8
Percent of pop. with college degrees: 31.7%
1 small business for every 50 residents
1 large business for every 754 residents
Unemployment rate: 4.6%
Warren Buffett's hometown has the lowest unemployment rate on our list, low cost of living and a significant number of large businesses.

6. Portland, Maine
M.S.A.: Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, Maine
Average Annual Job Growth (2010-2012): 0.9%
Median salary: $41,000
Cost-of-living index (U.S. average is 100): 101.9
Percent of pop. with college degrees: 34.4%
1 small business for every 35 residents
1 large business for every 696 residents
Unemployment rate: 6.2%
The New England port town has the highest number of small businesses per capita, a relatively high proportion of large businesses and a low unemployment rate.

7. Denver, Colo.
M.S.A.: Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, Colo.
Average Annual Job Growth (2010-2012): 1%
Median salary: $51,000
Cost-of-living index (U.S. average is 100): 102.8
Percent of pop. with college degrees: 37.6%
1 small business for every 43 residents
1 large business for every 1,020 residents
Unemployment rate: 8.5%
The Mile High City boasts a significant college-educated population, a note-worthy number of small businesses and a healthy job growth rate that's bolstered by the presence of companies like Lockheed Martin and IBM

TOP 5 Marketing and PR Blogs (MUST READS)

2011-05-17T20:17:00.000-05:00

Below are a few blogs I follow and use for inspiration. One of the hardest parts about using social media is keeping your content fresh; this is essential to gaining and maintaining readership.

1- O'Dwyer PR Blog

2- Edelman Landing Blog

3- Spin Sucks

4- PRSA ComPRehension

5- Social Media Explorer

.

A little poison ivy never hurt anyone... right?

2011-05-17T20:06:00.000-05:00

Hardin's Atlanta associates spent the day volunteering at Chattahoochee Nature Center doing various tasks for the nonprofit organization. I was on fence duty where we walked along the perimeter of the property clearing brush and cutting down trees that could potentially damage the fence.

It was a long, but rewarding day where the associates came together to celebrate Hardin's 65th anniversary. While my not-so-favorite souvenir was poison ivy, I enjoyed the fellowship and satisfaction of a hard day's work.

Praying for the South

2011-04-29T07:52:00.000-05:00

Mystery Trip?

2011-04-15T09:07:00.001-05:00

Where am I going this weekend for my birthday? Wouldn't I like to know the answer to that question? All I know is I am flying into Orlando and driving to an undisclosed destination. Can't wait to see what is in store for me.

I LOVE birthday surprises :)

Top PR/Marketing Job Finders

2011-03-30T19:12:00.001-05:00

I don't know if it is the steadily approaching May graduation date or people itching to find something new, but I have had several friends in the past couple of weeks ask for my advice about fining PR and Marketing jobs. So... here it is, my go to list:

PRSA (check out the job center)
SMPS (career center)
LinkedIn (job postings)
Atlanta PR Jobs
My personal twitter job list (@maryfkrueger/prjobs)

Happy St. Patty's day!

2011-03-17T15:19:00.000-05:00

iPad 2. Thinner. Lighter. Faster. FaceTime.

2011-03-06T13:46:00.000-06:00

Apple
A taste of Apple's iPad 2
Five things the iPad 2 didn't get
Considering Upgrading to the iPad 2? Read this First

What if your opinions expressed on social media could put you in jail?

2011-02-15T20:35:00.001-06:00

Syria Jails 19-Year-Old Blogger

(via Mashable)

A Syrian security court has sentenced a 19-year-old blogger to five years in jail on charges of revealing information to a foreign country,Reuters reported Monday.

The blogger, Tal al-Mallouhi, was arrested in 2009 and detained for more than 13 months without charge. Her blog mostly consists of poetry and social commentary.

According to Human Rights Watch, Syrian security services may have arrested Mallouhi for a poem she wrote criticizing restrictions on freedom of expression in Syria. According to Reuters, she had also posted a request for U.S. President Barack Obama to support the Palestinian cause. The U.S. State Department said last week that Mallouhi should be released because the allegations against her were baseless.

After grassroots movements successfully ousted repressive leaders in Tunisia and Egypt recently, many have speculated that Syria, which has been under the control of the Baath Party for 50 years, is where the next revolution will take place (other analysts say a Syrian revolution is unlikely). On February 4, a planned protest against President Assad gained 17,000 Facebook likes but failed to materialize.

Last week, the Syrian government removed a four-year-old ban on social sites like Facebook and YouTube. The move was seen by many as an attempt to preemptively quell future uprisings.

The decision to jail a high school student for her blog activities, however, seems to be a move very much in the opposite direction.

I looked up and it's February.

2011-01-31T18:31:00.000-06:00

I know I've said it before, but time sure does fly. It is hard to believe it is almost February... So many exciting things are going on in my life. There has been a lot of planning (mostly secrets and surprises), milestones and new beginnings. I can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the year.

Auburn Tigers win BCS National Championship!!!!

2011-01-12T18:39:00.000-06:00

WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!

Tragic Arizona Shooting

2011-01-09T10:12:00.004-06:00

Happy New Year from the Keys!

2011-01-03T17:17:00.000-06:00

Christmas fun...

2010-12-26T16:14:00.002-06:00

This was one of those holiday email forwards... I found it pretty funny.

Cam Newton on Letterman

2010-12-14T09:08:00.000-06:00

We'll Always Have Blogging

2010-11-29T20:18:00.001-06:00

I found this blog about blogging interesting, so I reblogged of course... I especially liked the research from eMarketer.

(Reblogged from Scott Monty's The Social Media Marketing Blog)

Image credit: Express Monorail (Flickr)

"Round up the usual suspects."
With all of the Facebook and Twitter commentary, out there, you'd think there's nothing else of significance worth doing on the Web any more. But of course, you know that's just crazy talk.

Corporate blogging has been with us for quite some time, with some major companies having forayed into the space in the early to mid 2000s. Yet there's surprisingly little attention paid to it today. Why is that? Is it that the shiny object / GMOOT ("get me one of those!") syndrome has worn off? Or is it that there's a purpose that isn't served by blogs?

"I was misinformed."
If you look at the recent statistics shared by eMarketer ("Corporate Blogging Goes Mainstream"), you'll see that only about a third of companies use blogs. But if you look at the growth over the last three years, the use of blogs has actually doubled (!).

The focus on Twitter and Facebook is understandable: they're nearly universal, they're easily accessible via mobile devices, and there's the ability to instantly connect users' thoughts, actions, and comings and goings via those platforms. But blogging is more than that - or at least has the ability to be more than that.

"Can I tell you a story, Rick?"
The first thing is, it's long form content. It gives companies the ability to have a greater narrative and develop more nuance around the message. Stories can be told in serial format so that a predictable cadence is established, with regular posts on known topics. Over time, this builds a relationship and perhaps even loyalty from readers. And fundamentally, marketing is about storytelling.

"In Casablanca, I'm master of my fate!"
While blogs are typically identified by having comments enabled for a two-way dialog, in reality the site owner is really in the driver's seat and has more control over it. This is a reassuring fact for many marketers, who can decide which comments to publish and what major topics they'd like to cover in their next post. Many marketers still prefer the stability and perceived brand control this gives them - even though we all know that you brand is what your customers say it is. But the other benefit is that when you run a blog, you have the ability to own the platform and content, which isn't necessarily the case when you're using Facebook, Twitter or the like. When a crisis is brewing, this means that your blog can become a central hub of all activity - one that you control - that can still be engaging and two-way in nature, should that be required.

"Take it anyway." [sic]
One thing I've always found about blogs is their infinite variety. They can be based in text, photos, videos, or a combination of any of them. They can be written by a team or by an executive. The topic can be singularly focused or can be an aggregate of other blogs. They can bring enthusiasts behind the scenes or collect ideas from fans. The point is that it's a flexible platform that will function any way you need it to. For a great set of examples, check out Mashable's 15 Excellent Corporate Blogs.

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

There's no reason your marketing efforts have to be an either/or mentality. If done well, blogging can incorporate the benefits of traditional marketing as well as the new. For example, integrating blog content or headlines into the corporate website in order to keep it fresh. Doing so not only gives customers a reason to return to your site frequently, but also helps with SEO (search engine optimization). In addition, the shorter form platforms (Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Digg, etc.) can easily be integrated into your blog, either through buttons on each post or by making it a part of the commenting platform. I use Disqus, which allows readers to log in with other accounts and share the content out on those other platforms as well. The point is, when you integrate your content plan, it allows your content to spread to wherever customers happen to be searching for it.

"Welcome back to the fight. This time I know our side will win."
Blogging was something of a curiosity in its first wave. Now that it's been around for a while and proven its worth as a communications and marketing tool - not to mention the new platforms, content types and technology advances - it's beginning to mature and defend its rightful place in the pantheon of marketing channels. Now the challenge is for us to determine how best to supply a stream of story-like content and integrate that into everything we do so that the blog is not another site that's competing for attention, but one that is strategically integrated into many other efforts.

War Eagle, 12-0

2010-11-29T13:03:00.001-06:00

10 Essential Social Media Tools for B2B Marketers

2010-11-18T17:52:00.001-06:00

(via Mashable.com)

This series is supported by the MarketingProfs B2B Forum, where you’ll learn the ins-and-outs of social media as part of your overall B2B marketing mix. Register today!

Like anything else, social media marketing is easier, more efficient and more effective if the marketer has the right set of tools. While hundreds (if not thousands) of tools and services exist for social media marketing, many are still primarily aimed at either consumers or B2C marketers. Fear not B2B marketers — there are still plenty of great tools out there than can best address the unique needs of the B2B space.

We’ve raided our own toolkits to come up with some of the best tools and services for B2B marketers that want to get the most out of social media.

1. Salesforce.com

The mac daddy of web-based CRM products hasn’t been afraid to embrace social media. In the last six months, Salesforce.com has introduced a number of different solutions via its Service Cloud 2 platform for helping integrate social media with the Salesforce.com ecosystem.

One of the best applications for B2B marketers who use Salesforce.com is Salesforce for Twitter. Don’t confuse this with Chatter, Salesforce.com’s Facebook for Business, Salesforce for Twitter will let you pull in and monitor Twitter feeds and accounts within the Salesforce.com CRM.

What makes this fantastic is that you can assign cases or leads based on a tweet directly in the CRM that can then be followed up on and monitored along with the other aspects of your work flow. What makes social media more difficult for B2B marketers isn’t that the tools can’t translate from B2C to B2B — they can — it’s that many times those tools don’t integrate well with existing platforms and solutions that a B2B business might have in place.

2. HootSuite

HootSuite is a great tool not only for managing multiple Twitter accounts (or allowing multiple users access to an account), but also for managing multiple social networks. In November, HootSuite introduced support for LinkedIn and Facebook. HootSuite also now supports WordPress blogs, which works great if you want to have a way to schedule posts and messages to multiple networks. HootSuite also supports alerts and stats tracking. HootSuite is free.

3. CoTweet

Billing itself as a Twitter CRM tool, CoTweet has been used by a number of big brands, including Ford and JetBlue, and it offers an easy way to manage multiple accounts and also allow multiple users to access a single account. CoTweet also lets you monitor keywords and trends and assign updates to colleagues for follow-up, which can be great for lead-generation. CoTweet was acquired by ExactTarget last month. While the service is available for free, an enterprise option is available for large brands or organizations, starting at apricey $1,500 a month.

4. SocialTALK

SocialTALK from Syncapse is a social media workflow tool that is designed to help companies control their presence on different platforms and monitor feedback. We covered SocialTALK when it launched in February and it remains one of a handful of services really aimed at helping businesses manage multiple social media accounts from a single dashboard. You can create and schedule video and photo posts for Facebook, have multiple user-access levels, access multiple pages from the same dashboard and monitor incoming traffic and analytical information.

[Disclosure: Syncapse is a Mashable sponsor]

5. Radian6

Social media is one of the best tools that B2B marketers can use for lead generation. By monitoring Twitter, forums and online communities, you can seek out not only what people are saying about your client, but you can find people in need of a solution that your client or company can offer.

Radian6 is a really comprehensive monitoring tool that can scan blogs, comments, public Facebook Pages, Twitter and other sources that you feed it. You can then get real-time updates pushed to your dashboard so that you can follow-up or reach out to a potential customer. Radian6 can integrate with Salesforce.com, meaning you can create new contacts or leads in Salesforce directly from the Radian6 dashboard.

6. Spredfast

Spredfast is a tool that can monitor, manage and measure various social media solutions. You can use it to manage multiple accounts or to schedule content. Spredfast can also be used to do real-time monitoring of persistent keyword searches in search engines, RSS feeds and Twitter and Facebook streams. It can also index relevant and competitive sites. Spredfast also offers metric reporting and tracking so that you can better understand what methods are working best and what methods might need some tweaking. Spredfast starts at $50 a month.

7. Social Radar

Social Radar is another tool that can do a real deep dive of social monitoring and analysis. The SR Alertspackage can monitor conversation fluctuations, important topics from designated influencers and sentiment analysis.

The Social Radar tool isn’t cheap (SR Alerts starts at $200 a month), but for businesses that want to monitor a lot of ground, it’s worth investigating.

8. truPULSE

truPULSE from Visible Technologies can monitor and listen to conversations surrounding certain topics or keywords from Twitter, Facebook, RSS feeds, video sites and blogs. What’s nice about truPULSE is marketers can track the tone and perceptions of a brand amongst your brand, your product or competitors.

truPULSE can also highlight crisis and customer service issues — which is an area that B2B marketers can excel at by either fixing the situation before it gets out of hand, or use as a way to get a lead or pitch their own service or product.

9. Viralheat

Viralheat is a social media monitoring and analytics service. It can monitor Twitter, Google Buzz, Facebook Fan Pages, the real-time web and even viral video statistics. One area in which Viralheat differs from some other options is that it can both restrict profiles by location (which can be huge if your B2B is local or is trying to target a certain sector or location) and it has its own API. Having its API means that you can make Viralheat extensible and potentially integrate it into other existing business solutions.

10. Sentiment Metrics

Sentiment analysis tools can be really helpful for B2B marketers because without context, just having a number of Twitter mentions surrounding a certain topic or brand is pretty meaningless. Sentiment Metrics is a tool aimed at larger businesses and the enterprise but it can be useful for B2B marketers because it can monitor not only sites like Twitter, but also online forums and blogs.

While people might inquire about products or services on Twitter or Facebook, the in-depth conversations often take place in forums or on blogs. Monitoring these areas for not only mentions but sentiment analysis can be pretty powerful.

Your Picks

B2B marketers, we want to hear from you! Let us know what tools and services you use with social media in the comments!

Series supported by MarketingProfs B2B Forum

Drive sales and make social media work for you at MarketingProfs B2B Forum! You’ll learn the ins-and-outs of social media as part of your overall B2B marketing mix – from integration and engagement to measurement. Get 1-on-1 access to the best and brightest B2B marketing stars who will share best practices and FREE advice! Plus, our loyal attendees say our events are ridiculously fun, interactive and the kicker is – we have the best Freebies in the biz! (no keychains here…FREE industry research reports & memberships—stuff to help you really drive sales in 2010!) Register today!

Images courtesy of iStockphoto, Yuri_Arcurs, Andresr, WendellFranks

TOP 5 points from "How to Avoid The Great Social Media Crash of 2011"

2010-11-10T19:01:00.000-06:00

I had the opportunity to attend one of the Social Media Atlanta sessions today. It was at the Goizueta Business School at Emory and moderated by Jamie Turner, chief content officer at the 60 Second Marketer.

Here are the top five things I took away from Jaime:

1. There is a lot of hype over social media. It has hit its peak and will soon enter the trough of disillusionment. Once we get through this point, SOCIAL MEDIA IS HERE TO STAY.

2. We have all heard it before, but social media is about dialogue. However, Jaime explained this in a way that is easy to explain to others who don't understand how important two-way communication is... Tom is an insurance salesman at a cocktail party. If he came up to you and said, "Hi, I'm Tom. Would you like to buy insurance?" you would most likely be turned off to Tom. If he came up to you and had an actual conversation and found out your interests, then casually mentioned he sold insurance, you would be more likely to hear him out. Social media is not about pushing and selling, it is about interacting and engaging.

3. Four ways Fortune 500 companies use social media:

1- BRANDING (build awareness and connect)

ex: Toyota Sienna campaign, Old Spice campaign, Domino's Pizza campaign

2- E-COMMERCE (drive prospects to E-commerce landing page)

ex: @DellOutlet

3- RESEARCH (generate input and feedback)

ex: Starbucks rewards

4- CUSTOMER RETENTION (reduce churn)

ex: @comcastcares

4. For your company, depending on size, you need a full-time employee spending 50-100 percent of their time on social media in order to be successful and make progress.

5. Mobile media will be ten times more powerful than social media. While mobile and social media are one in the same, the portability of social media is what will take the world by storm. If you drove away from your house without your wallet, would you turn back? If you left your phone? Exactly...

And something I found amusing... Analogies for the big five:
Facebook = Pub/Bar (casual)
LinkedIn = Trade Show (formal)
Twitter = Cocktail Party (energetic; many conversations)
YouTube = Times Square on New Years Eve
MySpace = Woodstock

Top 52 Social Media Platforms Every Marketer Should Know

2010-11-09T11:38:00.003-06:00

100+ Upcoming Social Media & Tech Events
Hope I can make it to a few!

Cam Newton Under Investigation...

2010-11-05T12:16:00.003-05:00

This is a video form ESPN about the allegations. However, I think this is a jealous ploy by the Mississippi State player who is still upset about Cam choosing Auburn. Oh and FYI Mark, its Auburn University not the University of Auburn.

"I believe in honesty and truthfulness, without which I cannot win the respect and confidence of my fellow men...And because Auburn men and women believe in these things, I believe in Auburn and love it."

How To Land A Career In PR... Thanks Arik!

2010-10-27T19:36:00.000-05:00

Arik Hanson, the founder of HAPPO, recently posted a blog to Career Newz which featured a video I created for HAPPO last year during my job search. It is an honor to be mentioned as an example from all of the creative and successful job pitches that went out that day.

Check out the post:

How To Land A Career In PR

Posted by Arik Hanson

I have a number of passions in life. One of them, it seems, is helping people find jobs. I find myself gravitating toward that work often. It led me to organize a one-day “tweet-a-thon” to help my friends Scott Hepburn and Sonny Gill (who were both looking at the time). It led me to co-found Help a PR Pro Out with my good friend,Valerie Simon. And, I’m constantly looking to match employers with candidates locally as I often hear of opportunities that never go public.

In this work, I’ve had the good fortune to hear about a number of creative ways to go about the job search. Today, I thought I’d share a few of those ideas–some I’ve picked up from friends and colleagues (during HAPPO, for example) and others I’ve just long thought would be interesting approaches.

* Offer up a digital audit of the agency’s/corporation’s activities. A friend of mine employed this approach earlier this year, and I thought it was brilliant. Come prepared with a full audit of the organization’s social activities and talk about how they could use that information to better their online strategies. Trust me, they’ll be impressed. Not only will they have practical thinking they can actually use when you leave the room, but they’ll also know you understand how to work up an audit and take the findings and apply them to a client’s needs. Believe me when I say, that will make a huge difference with the folks you’re interviewing with. And if it doesn’t, well, you probably didn’t want to work with that particular employer anyway.

* Make a video pitch. One of the tactics we encouraged folks to take earlier this year as part of HAPPO was to develop a video pitch–a 3-4 minute video that tells prospective employers who you are, what you do and why they should hire you (here’s a great example from Mary Krueger earlier this year

The beauty of the video pitch is it gets beyond the limits of pen-and-paper. Employers will be able to see you in the flesh. They’ll get a better feel for who you are. Remember, “fit” accounts for a lot in the hiring process.

* Give the agency/organization 3 big ideas to consider for the rest of the year. Similar to the audit, walking in with three big ideas the agency/organization can use should really impress the hiring manager and anyone else in the room. Make sure the ideas are relevant, easily understandable and executable (don’t go suggesting a $200,000 campaign for a small business or niche agency). If it was me, I’d even throw them in a Powerpoint or Prezi deck/show and present it just like they were a client. Go all out–what do you have to lose?

* Let your friends do your talking for you. You know how most agencies/firms ask for your references right before they’re about to hire you? Why not move that process up a bit? Ask three trusted colleagues/fans to send a note to the hiring manager telling them why you’d be a fantastic candidate for the job–in their own words. The trick is to find the right three colleagues. Ideally, you want people the hiring manager knows–or has heard of. In this case, I might suggest using LinkedIn to find out who the hiring manager is connected to from your network.

* Write a blog thank you. A friend of mine (Dana Hughens) recently had a candidate who thanked her for an interview via a blog post (she also sent a private note and posted a note on her Facebook page). The end result? The candidate got the job. If you’re applying for a job in the digital realm, why not put one of the primary tactics to good use?

* Create a blog devoted exclusively to your job search. Granted this approach would take some extra effort, but you are looking for a job, right? Just take the time and energy you’re using updating your resume and put it towards creating a killer blog/site that highlights your strengths, experience and accolades. Make the site your virtual resume. Highlight projects you’ve led in the past–and results. Ask former colleagues to record a video testimonial. Record your own three-minute video that allows you to talk about yourself and how you could help an organization. Link to other online properties you’re involved with–including guest posts on prominent PR/marketing/social media blogs (if you haven’t done this yet, start now) and other online projects you’ve been a part of.

Have you seen any particularly creative approaches to the job search? Care to share?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 26th, 2010 at 8:30 am and is filed under Career, Jobs, Tips. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

About the Author: Arik Hanson, is the principal of ACH Communications, a digital communications consultancy focused on fostering meaningful online interactions, driving digital relevance and building measurable growth through social channels. Arik's blog, Communications Conversations (www.arikhanson.com), has received numerous industry accolades including being named “Required Reading” by PRWeek and one of “The Top 25 Blogs to Follow” by PRWeb. He’s also a regular contributor to the PR Breakfast Club, Ragan.com, PR Daily and MinnPost.

After undefeated season six years ago, Auburn is BCS No. 1

2010-10-25T12:40:00.001-05:00

As always, I am proud to be an Auburn Tiger. I was at the game last weekend, but wish I could have been there for the LSU game. This video from before the game gives me chills.

By Kelly Whiteside, USA TODAY

The Bowl Championship Series has been unkind to Auburn in the past, but the Tigers claimed the top spot in the latest BCS rankings Sunday. The Tigers vaulted three spots to No. 1 after being ranked first in the computer polls and third in the USA TODAY Coaches andHarris Interactive polls following Saturday's win against LSU.

Like last week, Oregon came in at No. 2 and Boise State No. 3. The top two teams in the final BCS standings will advance to the Jan. 10 national championship game in Glendale, Ariz. Oklahoma, No. 1 in last week's BCS rankings, fell to No. 9 after Saturday's loss at Missouri.

RIVALRY: Auburn takes No.1 followed by Oregon

Six years ago, Auburn finished the season undefeated but was left out of the BCS title game. That year, SouthernCalifornia and Oklahoma, the top two teams the entire season, also went undefeated. The Tigers started low in the 2004 preseason poll and never made up enough ground to pass the Trojans or the Sooners in the final BCS standings.

With BCS math now on their side, the Tigers could compete for their first national title since 1957 if they finish undefeated. They head to Mississippi on Saturday, but their final two regular-season games will be their most significant tests. Auburn hosts improving Georgia on Nov. 13 and then meets BCS No. 7 Alabama on Nov. 26 in Tuscaloosa.

Auburn coach Gene Chizik isn't quite ready to make that mental leap. He was asked Saturday if the Tigers have gone from good to great yet in his estimation. "I don't know that you can make that claim until the end of the year to figure out exactly where you land," he said. "I think we've gone from good to better. I don't think there is any question about that."

As for questions, there are several.

•Can USC spoil Oregon's magical season?

The Ducks travel to Los Angeles on Saturday to face a dangerous Trojans team that will have had two weeks to prepare. USC has been under the radar after losses to Washington and Stanford, but both defeats came on field goals in the final seconds.

•Can Boise State hold serve?

Boise State rose a spot to No. 6 in the computers without playing, helped by Virginia Tech's resurgence (the Broncos beat the Hokies in the season opener) and Oklahoma's tumble. The Broncos face Louisiana Tech on Tuesday. However, the margin between No. 2 and No. 3 widened in the BCS ratings. The Broncos were 0.0023 points behind Oregon last week. They trail by 0.0223 this week. In the coaches poll, Boise State lost five first-place votes. Votes for the Broncos ranged from first to ninth.

One bit of good news for Boise State: Hawaii and Nevada just missed breaking into the coaches poll top 25, and both could be ranked when the Broncos play them next month. That could help their schedule strength and computer rating.

•Will TCU ever get respect?

TCU moved up a spot to No. 4 in the BCS ratings, but teams from leagues with automatic BCS bids keep leaping over the Horned Frogs in the human polls. This week, Auburn jumped from a spot behind No. 4 TCU to a spot ahead of the Frogs, even after TCU's impressive win vs. Air Force. Votes for TCU ranged from first to 10th in the coaches poll.

The Frogs travel to UNLV on Saturday, then visit BCS No. 8 Utah in a game that will eliminate one Mountain West hopeful.

•Can Michigan State become this year's Ohio State?

The Buckeyes have played in two of the last four BCS title games, but the Spartans, the only undefeated Big Ten team, are the ones to beat this year.

Without the Buckeyes on the schedule, the Spartans' toughest test comes Saturday at Iowa. If they beat the Hawkeyes, they'll be in good position to claim their first conference title since they shared it in 1990.

Briefly:Linfield (Ore.) (5-1) clinched its 55th consecutive winning season Saturday with a 35-20 win at Pacific Lutheran (Wash.). The Wildcats also took sole possession of first place in the D-III Northwest Conference. While Linfield and Pacific Lutheran played in Puyallup, Wash., Lewis & Clark (Ore.) and Puget Sound (Wash.) hooked up in a record-setting scoring duel a few miles away in Tacoma. Lewis & Clark's 68-64 victory set conference records for combined points (132) and touchdowns (19). ... Colorado spokesman Dave Plati said starting quarterback Tyler Hansen suffered a ruptured spleen and was likely out for the season. Hansen was hit during Saturday's 27-24 loss to Texas Tech.

Cam Newton is Heisman Front-runner

2010-10-18T18:36:00.001-05:00

VOTE FOR CAM HERE

AUBURN, ALA.—He was mulling around in the lobby of the massive convention center in Orlando last January, an unassuming guy with the secret of a season tucked in his pocket.

There was Gus Malzahn, Auburn's innovative offensive coordinator, talking about his offense that had revolutionized the college game and even forced the stodgy, stoic NFL to copy. And then he offered up this nugget:

Cameron Newton was the most important recruit in his career as a college coach.

"Potentially," Malzahn said, "a game-changer."

That potential has merely morphed into the best player in college football.

What we have here, everyone, is Tim Tebow. Well, Tebow without The Promise and two national championships and four years of coaches, players and media falling backward over themselves (me included) to extol his numerous virtues on and off the field.

After Auburn's critical 65-43 SEC victory Saturday over Arkansas—one that looked a lot like a WAC victory—everyone else is chasing in the unofficial race for the Heisman Trophy. Another mega numbers game for Newton, another game of carrying his team until the defense made enough plays to stop the bleeding.

And another victory for unbeaten Auburn—which until this day was lost among the Ohio States and Boise States (and yes, a few SEC teams) of the world.

"You put the ball in Cam's hands," said Auburn offensive tackle Lee Ziemba, "and good things happen."

How's this for good: 188 yards rushing and three touchdowns, and 140 yards passing and one touchdown. The Tigers were 9-for-9 in red zone opportunities and had zero turnovers.

Those are Tebow numbers, people. Those are everyone get on my back and we're winning numbers.

With unbeaten LSU coming to The Plains next weekend—and a game against defending national champion Alabama at the end of November—it all sets up for Newton and the Tigers: win out, play in the BCS national title game and pick up some hardware in New York City.

"To be mentioned in the same sentence with Tim Tebow is an honor," said Newton, who then singled out his offensive linemen, one by one, and made sure everyone knew they were the reason for his success.

Timmy Terrific would've been proud.

Until this fall, Newton was known more for the stolen computer he bought as a freshman at Florida, then told police he didn't, and then tossed it out the window when the fuzz closed in. So Gators coach Urban Meyer told Newton that maybe he should look elsewhere to play.

As good as Tebow was running the zone read play, he looks like—how's this for irony?—Florida's John Brantley running the option compared to Newton. He's a 6-6, 250-pound man running the option play—and running over 300-pound defensive linemen.

While Tebow used brute strength and a choppy running style, Newton has shake and bake and long strides to complement his power game. Tebow was an old school, single-wing fullback in a quarterback's body. Newton is a sleek, new-age, 21st century freak.

"If he were a tailback," Malzahn said, "he'd be the best tailback in the nation."

Newton is a lock for the 20/20 club, an elite group of players who have thrown for 20 touchdowns and run for 20 scores in a single season. There's one player in NCAA history in that club, and it's You Know Who.

After Arkansas went up 43-37 early in the fourth quarter—and after Newton had rushed for 184 yards—the tailback became a quarterback, completing 4 of 4 passes for 52 yards on the go-ahead drive. His last completion, a 15-yard touchdown pass to Emory Blake, came after play action-faking the zone read and keeping Arkansas' linebackers from dropping into coverage.

When it's going—when the zone read is working and Newton is accurate on his throws—the offense is unstoppable. It's unfair, really.

Newton can lean forward and get 5 yards. He has uncanny balance and vision, and the defense doesn't get a good shot at him unless he initiates contact.

"I'm sitting on the sidelines watching him," said Auburn linebacker Josh Bynes, "and I'm thinking, I'm glad I don't have to tackle him."

Last spring, when Auburn went through the charade of a quarterback competition between Newton and three others, there was no hitting allowed on the quarterbacks. It had nothing to do with the three others.

It had everything to do with the game-changer not getting hurt.

"(Newton) is one spectacular football player," said Auburn coach Gene Chizik. "I'm not one to go out on a limb, but everyone in the world sees it."

What We Learned

Where's the D? We went to an SEC game, and a WAC game broke out. Auburn's 65-43 victory over Arkansas was the most points scored in SEC history in a non-overtime game.

The underlying question: How can unbeaten Auburn win future big games (vs. LSU, Georgia, at Alabama) with a defense that ranks among the worst in the league?

"It seems like we get the big plays when we need them," said Auburn linebacker Josh Bynes.

In the Tigers' two biggest wins of the season—at home vs. South Carolina and Arkansas—the defense got seven fourth quarter turnovers: four against the Gamecocks and three against the Razorbacks.

Bynes had two interceptions Saturday, and Zac Etheridge returned a fumble 47 yards for a touchdown.

A Heisman omen. Auburn QB Cameron Newton has 25 total touchdowns (13 pass, 12 rush), and is well on his way to reaching the 20/20 club.

This is good on two fronts in Newton's chase for the Heisman Trophy:

* Former Florida QB Tim Tebow is the only other player in Division I history in the 20/20 club—and won the Heisman Trophy in 2007 when he accomplished the feat.

* Auburn QB Pat Sullivan won the Heisman Trophy in 1971 and had 26 total touchdowns. Newton should break that record next week against LSU.

The backup. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas' All-American candidate at QB, missed the end of the second quarter and all of the second half with a slight concussion and bruised ribs.

Even with him, it's doubtful the Hogs would've done much more offensively. His backup, Tyler Wilson, the projected starter next year if Mallett leaves early for the NFL, played well until the two interceptions in the fourth quarter.

Wilson, who completed 14 of his first 15 passes, finished with 332 yards and four touchdowns.

"I thought he had a lot of poise and executed very well," said Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino. "The team rallied around him."

The MINERS are free... and with SWAGGER

2010-10-14T22:24:00.000-05:00

It has only been a day since the Chilean miners were rescued from their two month underground entrapment and the gifts are rolling in. The 33 miners have already been offered reparations to keep from lawsuits, among other things:

While underground they received Elvis music and Oakley sunglasses
Apple CEO Steve Jobs sent 33 of the latest iPod's
Chilean Jewish mining executive Leonardo Farkas gave the miners $10,000 each
Soccer teams have invited them to games in Europe
Free Greek tours from an agency
A Hollywood TV show called "Coal" by the makers of "Deadliest Catch"
Possible book and film deals

Change Change Change- Companies Re-branding

2010-10-08T12:41:00.000-05:00

I have noticed a lot of brands are revamping their images recently- starting with the logo.

Facebook Update

2010-10-06T16:01:00.003-05:00

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Facebook is trying to make it easier for people to share their updates selectively and draw distinctions between friends, family members and co-workers on the Web's biggest social hub.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's founder and CEO, unveiled the latest changes Wednesday at a press conference that marked his first public appearance since last Friday's debut of "The Social Network," a movie tracing Facebook's origins and evolution.

The movie depicts Zuckerberg as a misanthropic genius who relied on a combination of talent and treachery to build Facebook into a cultural touchstone since he began working on it in a Harvard University dorm room more than six years ago.

Zuckerberg told reporters Wednesday he wouldn't discuss the critically acclaimed film, which has been a box-office hit so far. He has previously scoffed at the movie as a gross exaggeration and said he didn't intend to see it.

He had much more to say about Facebook's features, which he said Facebook's engineers had been working on during the past two months while in "lockdown" mode.

The project was aimed at making it easier to sort Facebook friendships into separate clusters, such as college chums, drinking buddies, co-workers, neighbors and family. That, in turn, is intended to make people more comfortable about posting observations and pictures for which they only want a limited audience.

Facebook already offers a way to do this through a "lists" feature. But only about 5 percent of Facebook's more than 500 million users take the time to use this tool to carve up their friendships.

"No one wants to make lists," Zuckerberg said.

The new feature is called "groups," and started rolling out Wednesday. It will allow people to set up pages consisting of people who share the same interests or family affiliation. Group members can post information only other members can see, and they will be able to convene in chat rooms. Members also will be able to plan events together.

Each step on the road to making Facebook an indispensible way to communicate makes it more attractive to advertisers. That, in turn, helps to bring in revenue as the privately held company gears up for an initial public offering expected within two years.

Zuckerberg believes 80 percent of Facebook users eventually will be touched by the group feature in some fashion, either by creating groups or being sorted into groups.

"We aren't trying to be hyperbolic in saying that this is going to be a fundamental shift" in how people will use Facebook, Zuckerberg said.

Facebook imported some of the ideas for the groups feature from a startup called Hot Potato that it bought during the summer. Hot Potato founder Justin Shaffer is the product manager for the groups tool.

To give users even more peace of mind about what they are sharing, Facebook is making it possible for them to download digital copies of all the personal data they have on the website. It's also introducing a dashboard to monitor personal information used by games, quizzes and other applications distributed on Facebook.

To guard against hackers downloading other people's personal information, Facebook will send users e-mails whenever information requests are made, and take a series of other security steps.

Braves Make the Playoffs

2010-10-03T18:55:00.000-05:00

ATLANTA -- That same Braves team that those rose out of the depths of despair at the end of April has once again proven resilient and ensured that Bobby Cox's storied managerial career will include one last trip to the playoffs.

While the Braves weren't necessarily staring at a do-or-die situation, they approached this regular-season finale determined not to allow their fate to rest in the hands what would transpire between the Padres and Giants in San Francisco.

Billy Wagner made things interesting after he was provided a rare chance to begin a save opportunity in the eighth inning Sunday afternoon. But the veteran closer rebounded with three strikeouts in a perfect ninth inning that gave the Braves an 8-7 win over the Phillies and a chance to spend the following couple of hours watching the conclusion of the Giants-Padres game.

"It's somewhat of a relief because you've got a tomorrow," Wagner said. "When I came in the game, it wasn't so sure. We knew we had to win this game. We battled and bowed our neck a little bit and pulled out one."

With the Giants beating the Padres, the Braves will open the National League Division Series on Thursday in San Francisco. Derek Lowe will oppose Tim Lincecum in Game 1 at AT&T Park.

Having benefited from three days of rest, Wagner was asked to preserve a four-run lead in the eighth after the Phillies had put runners on the corners with two outs against Jonny Venters. When Wilson Valdez delivered a single and Ben Francisco followed with an RBI double, the Phils had cut their deficit to one.

After being forced to face the fact that this could be the last appearance of his career, Wagner, who plans to retire at the end of this year, then struck out each of the next four batters he faced. The veteran closer threw 21 of his 37 pitches (most since 2007) in the eighth.

But Cox said there was never any thought about not sending Wagner back out for the ninth.

"We would have been getting a new manager," Cox said. "I'd have been dead if I'd have told him he wasn't going back."

When Tim Hudson hit Carlos Ruiz with a 3-2 fastball and then allowed John Mayberry to hit a pinch-hit two-run homer in the third, it looked like the Braves might be forced to watch the Giants-Padres series finale with a significant amount of stress.

But after Cole Hamels completed his postseason tuneup with two scoreless innings and Roy Oswalt prepared for his playoff start by allowing a run in his only inning of work, the Braves produced enough damage off Danys Baez in the fourth to allow them watch the NL West showdown with the satisfaction of knowing that they would play at least one more game.

Cox might have been able to enjoy the final regular-season weekend of his managerial career in a less stressful manner had Brooks Conrad not made two costly throwing errors in the first two games of this series.

Rewarding the loyalty Cox showed by switching him from third base to second base in the finale, Conrad delivered a game-tying RBI single in the four-run fourth and added another RBI single in the two-run fifth that began with Derrek Lee sending a Joe Blanton fastball over the left-field wall.

While Conrad managed to tie the game in the fourth, the biggest hit came courtesy of the two-out single that Hudson delivered to center. By the time Infante followed with a two-run triple that landed near the right-field corner, the sold-out crowd was chopping like it did when Cox first took the Braves to the playoffs in 1991.

Hudson proved perfect in four of the first six innings that he completed and was working on a masterpiece before Werth drilled his two-run homer. The two-run homers produced by Werth and Mayberry stood as the only damage incurred by the Atlanta ace in his seven-inning effort.

"We always answer the bell," McCann said. "Every time our backs have been against the wall, we've come through and got a win. A lot of guys stepped up today. I'm so proud of everybody in here. Today we did everything we needed to do."

Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Social Media tidbits

2010-09-30T09:09:00.000-05:00

Many of you have seen this (or versions of this) video. The facts included are intriguing; what a great industry to be immersed in.

Why Social Media Matters

2010-09-22T09:34:00.000-05:00

I found this presentation via twitter and wanted to pass it along. It has some great statistics and valid points about mobile social media...

Why Mobile Social Media Matters - Statistics, Trends, Technologies

View more presentations from David Berkowitz.

New Twitter Design... It's About Time

2010-09-15T13:03:00.003-05:00

It was only a matter of time before Twitter figured out the need to integrate multimedia. From a PR standpoint, this is going to be a time saving feature that will eventually eliminate the need for sites such at hootsuite and twitpic.

While I have not seen the new design live, I like the idea of integrating multimedia (to some extent). One thing I like about Twitter is its simplicity. Facebook slowly started adding more and more features and now has WAY too much going on in my opinion... I mean are Farmville updates from your friends really necessary? I think that deters from the purpose of the site. As long as Twitter stays true to its original purpose, I'm not opposed to the changes.

Here is what others think:

Meet the New Twitter

Twitter Redesign Looks Like an Upgrade for Advertisers

Here Comes the New Twitter.com

New Twitter

2010 Emmy's - Best and Worst dressed

2010-08-30T21:54:00.002-05:00

Here is my vote for best and worst dressed at the Emmy's this year:

BEST DRESSED - Claire Danes

WORST DRESSED - Christina Hendricks

Time flies...

2010-08-15T20:54:00.001-05:00

Time flies when there are so many exciting things going on in your life. Over the past two months I got a job, moved into a new apartment (twice) and have been enjoying life as a young professional living in Atlanta. The next few weeks are going to be busy as well...

This Thursday I am going to my first professional football game. It is only pre-season but I am still excited to have the opportunity to go; any sporting event I can go to I love.

This weekend I am jetting off to Chicago to visit friends and family. I am most excited about my first trip to Wrigley Field. I get to watch the Braves vs. Cubs game (two of my favorite teams) which I know will be a great experience.

The following weekend I will be heading to Orlando. I am not sure what I will get to do while I'm there, however there is talk of Sea World or Aquatica.

The next weekend I will be rooting on my alma mater in the second home game of the season. We will be taking on Clemson and I look forward to witnessing a win.

Using Social Media to Drive Business

2010-07-27T13:35:00.001-05:00

With the introduction of Foursquare, Groupon, ScoutMob and many other internet/mobile phone applications, businesses have the opportunity to take advantage of the new trends. See the example below where a Baltimore cafe owner offers a spot at the front of the line for the mayor (the person who checks in on FourSquare the most times). She reported a 427% increase in check-ins since the introduction of the competition.

Miss Shirley's Cafe - FourSquare

With these tools available, and the novelty of the experience, why wouldn't a business want to partake?

Welcome to the Real World

2010-07-22T08:02:00.000-05:00

Things have been so hectic lately with starting a new job, moving out of Auburn and moving into a new apartment in Midtown. Check out a few pictures of our new place (we love it!)

Chick-fil-A Cow Appreciation Day

2010-07-09T10:43:00.000-05:00

Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A, which means you can get a free combo meal -- if you dress like a cow.

Chick-fil-A really wants to feed you for free today, so if you don't happen to have a cow costume just lying around, you can print out a "starter kit" at CowAppreciationDay.com.

Those dressed "head to hoof" in cow attire will get an entrée of his or her choice, a side item and a Dr. Pepper or other beverage.

Those who aren't in full costume but who sport some kind of cow-themed accessory can get a free entrée.

In addition to the free food today, Chick-fil-A is also hosting a Facebook contest for the best-dressed cow. Voting runs through July 31. There's a separate contest for the calves -- kids 10 and younger -- that runs through Aug. 31.

This is the sixth annual Cow Appreciation Day for the Atlanta-based chain. Last year, more than 300,000 cow-clad customers visited restaurants throughout the country.

World Cup brings up issue of technology in soccer again

2010-06-29T14:22:00.000-05:00

After several bad calls during the current world cup, the conservative sport is contemplating the addition of technology during matches. If this were to happen in the future, soccer will be changed worldwide (and inevitably become more fair).

Reuters - Soccer-World-Referees ready for goalline technology if approved
NY Daily News

This is why I love the USA

2010-06-25T09:40:00.000-05:00

BP PR Crisis... in need of ONE CLEAR VOICE

2010-06-17T09:49:00.003-05:00

From both of these videos, it seems BP has a MAJOR PR crisis on their hands (despite the obvious PR nightmare that is taking place for the company). BP's PR representatives need to come up with a better crisis plan in which the company is transparent and is speaking with ONE CLEAR VOICE.

BP executive Doug Suttles tours oiled Alabama beach

BP Chairman Puts Foot in Mouth

Social Media- Do's and Don'ts

2010-06-15T09:13:00.003-05:00

Social media has become a vital tool; it is important for companies to use this tool correctly. Below I have listed a few articles that outline rules and expectations for companies using social media for promotion (and to engage*).
*As you will see in most of the posts below, it is not enough to just blast your readers with advertisements and promotion, it is important to become part of the social media community.

21 Rules of Engagement in Social Media
How brands use social media to re-invent themselves from the inside out
Social Media Marketing to Small Businesses – New Research
17 Techniques For Driving Traffic To Your Blog
4 ways to measure social media and its impact on your brand

BP Oil Spill... What's next?

2010-06-05T22:27:00.001-05:00

I have a feeling that we will be talking about this case from a public relations standpoint for years to come. The way BP has dealt with the problem will be analyzed and scrutinized by many. I hope there is a resolution soon...

New iPhone is coming....

2010-06-01T18:00:00.001-05:00

There has been quite a buzz surrounding the release of a new iPhone. I have heard some say this is all a hoax and some say it is 100 percent verifiable. Below you will find articles that I have read regarding the topic, and some mention the debate about whether the iPhone will be brought to Verizon (however, it does not look like that will be happening).

The NEW iPhone 4G
New iPhone (with pictures and video)
Mac Rumors - New iPhone
Apple's iPhone on Verizon -4 reasons to think twice

Off to the real world...

2010-05-18T14:20:00.000-05:00

As of Friday, I have officially become an Auburn University Alumni. The graduation ceremony was very nice. The speaker Tim Cook is the COO of Apple, Inc. His speech was well received and appreciated by the graduates. After graduation, my family and I went to Amsterdam (my favorite restaurant in Auburn). Later that night, we hosted a graduation party with 11 other graduates. It was definitely an affair to remember. The following day, I went home to Atlanta for another graduation party in my honor. My parents invited our family, friends and neighbors to celebrate.

I am now in the process of packing my belongings to move back to Georgia. I hope to find a job/internship soon and start my journey post college. I am excited to see where life will take me and I am looking forward to everything life hands me.

Public Relations Blogs

2010-05-07T14:29:00.003-05:00

Today, in honor of graduation (which is happening a week from today), I want to highlight public relations blogs I have found interesting while a PR student at Auburn.

1.) PRSay

PRSAY is a forum for PRSA members and other public relations professionals to engage in a dialogue with PRSA leaders, exchange viewpoints, and share perspectives on issues of concern to the Society and the public relations industry as a whole.

2.) POP! PR Jots
A blog by Jeremy Pepper

3.) comPRehension
Join the public relations conversation and get connected with expert insight from guest bloggers.

4.) infOpinions at AuburnMedia
A blog by Robert French

5.) PR Sarah Evans
A self-described “social media freak,” Sarah initiated and moderates #journchat, the weekly live chat between PR professionals, journalists and bloggers on the microblogging platform, Twitter.

6.) Mashable
THE Social Media Guide

Cinco De Mayo

2010-05-05T09:37:00.000-05:00

Hola and Happy Cinco De Mayo. This is a holiday that I look forward to every year because it always come right around the end of the semester and involves cheese dip and margaritas. However, I find it interesting that Americans celebrate the holiday more than some Mexicans. I have included a few articles I found interesting about this holiday and I hope they bring to light why Cinco De Mayo has become such an American favorite.

Understanding the holiday's history (MTV)
Cinco History (Viva Cinco De Mayo)
Cinco De Mayo (Inside Mexico)

HAPPO is Here....Again!

2010-04-30T10:54:00.002-05:00

Hello to my fellow HAPPO enthusiasts. The day we have been waiting for is finally here. Below you will find a link to my digital resume and portfolio as well as two videos that explain "Why should you hire Mary Krueger?" Links to my resume, LinkedIn profile, samples of my work and other social media are located on my website but I will also include some in this post as well. Please feel free to contact me using the contact page on my website or email me at maryfkrueger@gmail.com Thanks and Happy HAPPO!

www.maryfkrueger.com

Taylor Swift visits Auburn

2010-04-26T19:23:00.002-05:00

After going back and forth with Taylor Swift, Auburn students Michael and Ryan finally reached their goal today. Taylor Swift surprised all of Auburn with a visit to the campus to give the boys their much anticipated hug. Below are two videos I took while at the concert during her appearance. I will also include a video from Robert French with her initial entrance into the room.

Taylor Swift In Auburn :: April 26, 2010 :: AHugfromTaylorSwift.com from Robert French on Vimeo.

Advice for PR Students

2010-04-26T00:16:00.001-05:00

As graduation is quickly approaching, I have started thinking about all of the things I have learned over the past four years. I want to pass on a few tips for aspiring public relations students and hope that you can take my advice and use it to guide you through the rest of your college career.

1. READ! One of the biggest mistakes I made early on in my college career was thinking that I could get by without reading. I never had to read and re-read anything in high school, so I figured it would be the same in college... WRONG. Don't just skim through the readings your teacher assigns; read and take notes and go to class prepared. I promise it will make a world of difference when that test comes around.

2. Network EARLY. Now that I am in the process of job searching, I have realized how important it is to network early and to build your list of contacts in the public relations field. My biggest regret is not starting to network within the field until later on in college. Whether you send a contact an email update or occasionally take them out for coffee to catch up, it is necessary to establish and maintain important relationships.

3. Find a mentor. I learned early on that professors make great mentors. Take advantage of their knowledge and learn from them. Go to office hours, ask questions and make sure you are clear about what is expected of you.

4. Build your resume. Start your freshman year and write down everything. Even if it seems trivial, keep track of community service hours, extracurricular activities and anything else you participate in. When you compile your resume, it will come in handy to have a list of activities and will also help you to quantify different aspects of your resume (which is important).

5. Do not give up. Public relations is a difficult industry to survive in. Be confident in yourself and in your abilities as a communicator, writer and professional. Something or someone will always come around and challenge you, do not give up and keep your head held high.

Earth Day

2010-04-22T08:59:00.000-05:00

Happy Earth Day! In honor of this holiday I wanted to dedicate my post to eco-friendly tips and fun facts...

History:
Earth Day is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in held on April 22, 1970. Earth Day is celebrated in spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Many communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues. The first Earth Week originated in Philadelphia in 1970 (starting April 16 and culminating on Earth Day, April 22.) Earth Day Network, a group that wishes to become the coordinator of Earth Day globally, asserts that Earth Day is now observed on April 22 on virtually every country on Earth. World Environment Day, celebrated on June 5 in a different nation every year, is the principal United Nations environmental observance.

Tips:

Reduce your carbon footprint by leaving your car at home twice a week can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 1,600 pounds per year.
Take your old computer, DVD player, or other electronics to an electronics recycling center. Reusing and recycling materials like copper, gold, and others saves natural resources and reduces mining and processing. eCycling also helps avoid land, air, and water pollution by capturing and reusing hazardous substances such as lead or chromium.
Run your dishwasher only when it's full. Don't pre-rinse dishes - tests show pre-rinsing doesn't improve dishwasher cleaning, and you'll save as much as 20 gallons of water per load.
A full bathtub requires about 70 gallons of water, but taking a five-minute shower saves water by using 10 to 25 gallons. Put a little timer or clock near your shower so you can see how fast you are. Save even more water, and money on your water bill, by installing a water-efficient showerhead, or ask your landlord to install one if you rent.

T-Swift Update

2010-04-19T18:59:00.003-05:00

The Hug From Taylor Swift campaign is still going strong. This last video challenge was quite a feat. I can only imagine Taylor Swift will be planning to give these two Auburn students a hug quite soon. Below is the video of the second challenge (Do something creative with the number 13).

PRCA U

2010-04-12T17:53:00.004-05:00

Today I attended the 2010 Public Relations Council of Alabama conference - PRCA U. The theme of the three day conference is "New Thinking in an Old School" which inspired me to do as guest speakers, Alma Derricks and Lee Gaither said and think outside of myself.

Find more videos like this on The Loveliest Village

The day began with a breakfast which led into the first session with Lee and Alma. They told us about their experiences in the public relations world and talked about several pertinent topics we face today.
Key points included:

Getting out of the "iMe" place to think outside yourself
Using outside-in thinking (two-way interaction) consistently
Corporate business and brand strategy
Good branding = good business
Opinions, assumptions and choices (be willing to be wrong about assumptions)
RESEARCH

While in session with Lee and Alma, we broke out into groups and discussed cases from different perspectives. Our group discussed the current Toyota crisis from the perspective of Toyota corporate. We also talked as a large group about Tiger from the perspective as a person and a brand. Both of these cases were insightful and helped me understand how to think outside of myself.

Following this session, we attended the Student Awards Lunch. It was rewarding to see our hard work recognized by PRCA and everyone in attendance. We also were able to enjoy each others company over a great meal. After lunch and a brief recess, we were able to choose from various breakout sessions to attend. I chose to go to the student session: Exit College Life, Enter Agency World. The speaker, Jennifer Jenkins, gave a simple but refreshing perspective into beginning a career and life at an agency.
Key points included:

Intern (observe client-agency interaction)
Start at the bottom (don't be afraid to work outside of your job description)
Network with people in your area/industry (don't be scared)
Freelance (offer your services at a low rate to get your foot in the door)
Package yourself (sell yourself and be confident)

The next breakout session I attended was about marketability and securing a spot in an agency. The speaker, Rick Murray described the career path which led him to Edelman. He also explained about new behaviors in public relations and ways to set yourself apart when searching for jobs.
Key points included:
New Behaviors-

Active citizenship (employees are the most credible ambassadors)
Track conversations (mobilize influencers)
Inform conversation (Ex: Google 85% of all health decisions)
See every company as a media company (producers of content)
Be democratic and de-centralized (not in control)
Create and co-create content
Prepare to operate in real time (Twitter, Google, eBay)

Ways to Set Yourself Apart-

Global perspective (BIC; economic and political perspectives)
Active citizenship (what you do outside of work matters)
Embrace change and lead it too (you are in control of your career)
Intellectual curiosity (demonstrate you want to keep learning)
Love what you do (show it everyday)

I truly value the experience I had today at the PRCA conference and I hope to keep in contact with the people I was able to meet and interact with. Thank you to everyone who had a part in putting the conference on. War Eagle!

Growing Relationships and Harvesting Success

2010-04-09T00:33:00.002-05:00

The College of Agriculture was founded as a Land-Grant college in 1872 with the establishment of the Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical College. After 138 years in existence, the College of Agriculture is now home to eight academic departments including, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Agronomy and Soils, Animal Sciences, Bio-systems Engineering, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures, Horticulture and Poultry Science.

According to the College of Agriculture Web site, the college is “dedicated to educating people and discovering knowledge that improves the lives of all Alabama citizens through their research, instruction, and outreach programs.”

Emily Tice is a senior majoring in horticulture in the college of agriculture. Tice originally began as an agriculture communications major and received an academic scholarship upon entry to Auburn University her freshman year.

The College of Agriculture has the second largest scholarship program at Auburn, both in number of awards and monetary value. Scholarships range from full-tuition awards to grants of $100 to $1,000 from organizations and individuals.

Tice was placed in an agriculture learning community for her first semester of college which gave her an opportunity to explore and better understand the College of Agriculture. The learning community was enrolled in introduction to agriculture, a class that gives an overview of the different majors and departments within the college. It is in that class where Tice discovered her calling for horticulture.

Find more videos like this on Auburn Family

“Being in the learning community and taking the intro to agriculture class helped me decide where I wanted to be within the college of agriculture,” said Tice. “I love being in horticulture and I know it is where I am supposed to be.”

Tice also described how the College of Agriculture stands out among the other schools at Auburn because of the tight-knit community that forms. “The people in the College of Ag are really friendly and helpful,” said Tice. “It’s a smaller college so you can really get to know the people who are there and you become a family.”

Tice is not the only one who describes the College of Agriculture in this way. “We are a people-oriented college that prides itself on our warm, friendly and caring environment,” said Richard Guthrie, Dean of the College of Agriculture.

The College of Agriculture is known worldwide because the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures is recognized as the number one program in the world. Another accomplishment is within the horticulture department where in the past two decades every one of its graduates has been placed in a job. It is apparent that the College of Agriculture has a strong foundation and continues to bring success and honor to Auburn University.

The iPad - Good or Bad?

2010-04-05T23:10:00.000-05:00

The iPad has been out for a couple days now and the reviews are flooding in. I have not seen an iPad in person, but after reading the reviews I know what I will be doing... waiting for the next one. Whether it is an upgraded version of this iPad or a similar product made by competitors, chances are better things are to come. Below are links to opinions about the iPad and a video showing some of the features.

GOOD-
Why you should buy an iPad
Apple iPad

BAD-
8 Things that suck about the iPad
Why the iPad is a huge disappointment

A Hug From Taylor Swift

2010-03-29T22:32:00.001-05:00

Two students living in Auburn came up with a unique idea to solicit a hug from country music star Taylor Swift. You can visit their Web site at www.ahugfromtaylorswift.com to find out more information. View the videos below, this is a great example of a creative way to market something using traditional and non-traditional media.

Auburn Communication - Success Starts Here

2010-03-26T01:00:00.001-05:00

“From the basics and even deeper into the communication major, my classes at Auburn gave me the amazing foundation I needed to move into the real world.”

Bahar grew up in Arlington, Texas where she lived for 18 years with her parents and brother. Her mother was born in Huntsville, Ala. and her father was born and raised in Baghdad, Iraq. Her desire for new experiences brought her to Auburn University where she graduated in August 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in communication. She decided to pursue a career in radio after working with the on campus radio station, WEGL, as the director of promotions.

“Even though I didn't get paid, my experience as director of promotions was one I will never forget,” said Bahar. “I had one of the most amazing teams; our personalities and extracurricular actives couldn't have been more different, but we all had a passion for radio.”

After her experience at WEGL, Bahar found herself interning for Quantum Communications. Following her internship, she took a job as Quantum’s receptionist in order to continue gaining experience at the radio station.

“I learned so much from being out on location with the personalities, creating events, working the boards and so much more,” said Bahar. “It was during my internship that I really started to see opportunities outside the university and established relationships with people in the community of Auburn.”

After Bahar graduated, several on-air positions opened up with WMXA Mix 96.7 and WKKR 97.7 Kicker FM. Quantum offered her a position doing mid-days on Mix96.7 and afternoons on Kicker FM. When the opportunity to become the director of promotions for WMXA, WKKR, WTLM and WZMG opened up, she took it. Bahar currently has this title at Quantum of Auburn.

Find more videos like this on The Loveliest Village

“I hate to even call my job an actual job,” said Bahar. “I wake up every morning, check out the news locally and around the world and relay it to thousands, play games, give away prizes and of course play music that people want to hear.”

According to Bahar, the best part about her job is having the opportunity to enlighten others. Whether it is keeping people up to date with the weather, or even telling about different aspects of her personal life, being an informational outlet is rewarding for her.

In October 2008, Quantum did an event to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research with the East Alabama Medical Center. They raised money by locking three of the DJs in a vehicle at a local dealership and surrounded them with cases of water. The promotion was called the “Wall of Water” and supporters were able to purchase the cases in order to free them from the vehicle. Once all of the cases were gone, the DJs were free and Quantum raised more than $2,000 for the East Alabama Medical Center. The Wall of Water promotion received an award in Nashville for the Small Market Promotion of the Year in 2009.

“It was such an honor to represent our stations in Nashville and stand before highly acclaimed radio talent and accept this award,” said Bahar. “This was a joint effort of everyone at all of our stations and I was so honored that our hard work was acknowledged on such a large scale.”

Bahar’s talent and dedication is evident when looking at her success beyond Auburn. Her advice to other students in the department is: “Don’t be afraid to push boundaries and meet new people; networking is a key to success. Take initiative and always be proud of your work. Everything will come together with patience, persistence and taking risks in life.”

Adobe Creative Suite 5 = Amazing

2010-03-24T23:08:00.002-05:00

The Adobe Creative Suite 5 will be released on April 12th.. This is a sneak peak video showing some of the amazing features the new Photoshop will have to offer...can't wait for this one.

3 Easy Ways to Use Social Media to Find a Job

2010-03-24T00:07:00.002-05:00

Throughout the past few years, I have found my niche in social media. Many describe social media marketing and publicity as an "up-and-coming" way to market a product, brand or image; however, I believe that most successful companies are already taking advantage of the benefits that are offered through this channel. Below you will find a few examples of ways that I have used to get involved in free promotion. Tools like this are fun, easy and great for your resume or to talk about in an interview.

1.) Chegg - www.Chegg.com
Become a Chegg Champion by simply applying for a coupon code online. Very simple and mutually beneficial. Every time someone uses your coupon code, you get cash. Chegg also equips its champions with several tools to make spreading the word easier such as Twitter, Facebook, fliers, business cards, emails, videos and more.
Here is my code: CC107261

2.) Southern Proper - www.SouthernProper.com
Become one of Southern Proper's Belles for Beaus. Sorry boys, this one is for the ladies. These are college campus representatives for the Atlanta based retail company. One of the many public relations skills that can be sharpened through this is event planning. Trunk shows, tailgates and other promotional events are coordinated with the owners throughout the school year.

3.) Groupon - www.groupon.com
Groupon is an online resource that makes it easier for people to enjoy the great things in their community by offering daily deals at unbeatable prices through the power of group buying. Groupon members have the opportunity to use a personalized referral link to refer their friends. With each new member joining from the referral link, the customer receives $10 in Groupon credit.
Here is my link: http://www.groupon.com/r/uu1448236

Groupon

2010-03-22T00:06:00.000-05:00

My new favorite Web site... GROUPON
I just found a great deal for Braves tickets. I would definitely pass this along to my friends.

Harry Potter Theme Park

2010-03-20T15:44:00.000-05:00

The much anticipated Harry Potter theme park has been the topic of conversation for Harry Potter fans around the world. Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure has done a good job sparking interest by giving only small amounts of information at a time. The date for the park opening will be announced soon and will be helpful for Universal in the current economic situation.

Sneak peak for the next Harry Potter movie and details about theme park-

The official Web site for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Exclusive vacation offer for Harry Potter fans

Social Media

2010-03-19T22:22:00.001-05:00

It has become evident that the use of social media is important to public relations and marketing. Certain things must be taken into account when using social media tactics. Below are some interesting social media links that I find helpful and want to pass along.Top 10 Social Media WORST Practices

Presentation by: Chris Wallace.
The Death of Social Media
5 things you need to know about location-based social media

USPS to stop Saturday deliveries?

2010-03-14T12:35:00.000-05:00

The USPS has asked congress for permission to stop delivering mail on weekends entirely (no Saturday or Sunday deliveries) in order to cut back on costs. USPS has been experiencing great losses as people turn to electronic mail; the number of items handled by the post office fell from 213 billion in 2006 to 177 billion last year. Volume is expected to shrink to 150 billion by 2020. Without drastic action USPS could face a cumulative loss of $238 billion over the next 10 years. What are your opinions? View the links and video below about the topic...
USPS to Stop Saturday Delivery
USPS 10-year Plan
USPS asking congress to end Saturday mail delivery
Join the 21st Century (Chicago Tribune Blog)
Video about how the USPS works:

Curve-ball

2010-03-10T22:22:00.000-06:00

I have not been able to post lately because life has thrown me a curve-ball. However, things are beginning to turn up and I am excited for where life will take me. I have so many opportunities and nothing holding me back. I am blessed to have amazing family and friends that support me and I do not know what I would do without them. I know the future is unpredictable and that can be scary, but I know that despite adversity, I will make it. Not only will I make it; I have confidence that I will exceed even my own expectations.

"The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down...He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them"

O'Dwyer Rankings are out...

2010-03-09T13:43:00.000-06:00

Use the link below to view the list:
O'Dwyer PR rankings

The State of the Internet

2010-03-04T18:36:00.002-06:00

This is crazy to think about...

Creative Way to Find a Job Using Social Media

2010-03-03T13:09:00.010-06:00

Quote from Laura Gainor-
"Oddly enough, my @foursquare stalking techniques with my slideshare presentation has landed me an office desk here at Comet Branding! I was officially hired on Monday, March 1st and here are my adventures!

I am now a pr + social media strategist with thanks to some quick thinking for my slideshare presentation"

Look at the slideshow she used... what a great idea!!

Laura Gainor Utilizing Social Media

Slideshow: Using Social Media To Catch the Attention of a firm

This worked... She just started today!

4 PR/Social Media Links

2010-03-02T18:24:00.000-06:00

These are links that I found interesting today...
What does tomorrow's PR pro look like?
Social Media and Customer Service
Tips for Creating a Facebook Fan Page
Planning a Tweetup

Just launched my Web site

2010-03-01T22:17:00.000-06:00

I launched my Web site today and I am very excited to use it in my job search. Please feel free to navigate through the pages and leave me feedback on my blog or in the contact section of the page. Thanks!

http://www.maryfkrueger.com

SeaWorld Incident

2010-02-28T12:57:00.003-06:00

I have compiled the links to several articles and interviews about the recent SeaWorld incident. It will be interesting from a public relations perspective to see how it continues to unfold. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends. Please feel free to comment with your opinion about how the crisis is being dealt with.
SeaWorld faces major public relations challenge (Washington Post)
Whale trainer's death jars safe world of adventure (AP)
Video interview with Chuck Tompkins, Head of Animal Training for SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment:

A tribute to Dawn Brancheau:

Feb. 26 Press Conference
SeaWorld Website

America Rising Video

2010-02-26T23:38:00.002-06:00

Someone emailed this video to me, and while a bit extreme, I think it was well done. It is a powerful message that does speak for many in our country, so I thought I would share it. I heard that most of the links were removed from YouTube, except this one (for now).

Political opinions aside, what do you think about it?

5 Interesting Social Media Links

2010-02-25T21:38:00.003-06:00

1.) New Research Shows Facebook Fan Page Effectiveness
2.) 10 of the Best Social Media Tools
3.) Jersey Shore Leverages Social Media
4.) 11 Rules of Social Media Etiquette
5.) Social Media Marketing in 3 Minutes

Life is flying by...

2010-02-24T20:36:00.002-06:00

It is amazing how fast life goes. I remember graduating high school, moving to Auburn and starting college as if it were yesterday. Now I am in my senior year and approaching graduation at a rapid pace. There seems to be something planned for every weekend between now and graduation. I am anxious and excited to begin the next phase of my life; I cannot wait to see where life takes me. I am up for anything...so bring it on life!

I also wanted to share a video from the expo in Cancun (just published this past week)

Traits of an Indispensable Person

2010-02-22T22:20:00.000-06:00

Found a link to this via twitter. Great video from Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO of Acumen Fund. The clip can teach you how to identify key members of your team and how to make sure you’re indispensable, too.

Jacqueline Novogratz on how to recognize a linchpin from Seth Godin on Vimeo.

Surprise! I'm Here...

2010-02-21T20:35:00.000-06:00

This Thursday I surprised Dan by showing up a day early to visit him in Florida. I came down to see him before he leaves for China. I was also able to listen to Mr. Gainor give a great presentation at one of Dan's MBA classes (they are all leaving for China this Friday for 10 days). On Friday, we went fishing; I caught the only fish of course. We also went to the Rebelution concert in Orlando at the House of Blues (it was fun...and very interesting). It was a great weekend and I don't want it to end. Also on Friday, was HAPPO. It was great being able to network and communicate with others interested in PR; it also made me realize how many people are looking for jobs in this competitive market. I am excited to see where life will take me in the next year. College zoomed by and I am sure life will progressively go by faster and faster (have to remember to appreciate every moment).

HAPPO is Here!

2010-02-19T09:47:00.003-06:00

I am so excited for HAPPO today. Thanks for all of the support from the public relations community. Please view and retweet my blog post if you think I would be a good candidate for any job openings. I am looking to start a job in May 2010 anywhere in the southeast (preferably in Florida or Georgia). I have also included my resume and links to some social media outlets I use. Thanks and happy HAPPOing!

LinkedIn Profile
Twitter
Auburn Family Blog
MaryfKrueger@gmail.com
Twtbizcard

Help a Pro Pro Out

2010-02-17T12:03:00.004-06:00

HAPPO is almost here! Please enjoy the short video-blog post I made (a little early) and view the links below to contact me. Thanks :)

Email: MaryfKrueger@gmail.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/maryfkrueger
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MaryfKrueger

Mardi Gras

2010-02-16T18:50:00.000-06:00

It is crazy to think that Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans five years ago. The city has truly come back to live and emerged even better than it once was (in some opinions). Winning the super bowl was much deserved by a city who is still reminded of the tragedy daily.
New Orleans is known around the world for its extravagant and outrageous Mardi Gras party that takes place in the streets and businesses in the French Quarter. it is one of the biggest parties in the world and i hope to have the experience of going one day. Below are a few articles i found interesting. Enjoy!

Chilly weather can't stop New Orleans' big party (AP Story)

Mardi Gras 2010 - How to give back to New Orleans

2010 Queen of Carnival

Sips n Strokes

2010-02-15T23:52:00.002-06:00

I just had my first Sips n Strokes experience tonight. Our group of nine made a reservation and were all seated together (which I definitely recommend). See the pictures below of the progression of my painting. Don't worry, I'm not going to take up being an artist any time soon...

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T17:18:00.002-06:00

Most people tend to either LOVE or hate Valentine's Day. I happen to be one of those people who love the holiday...

Those who do not like V-Day usually have excuses like... "It's a Hallmark holiday" or "It just reminds me that I'm single" or "It's a waste of time/money on only one day, I just show my love all year long" and the list goes on. What ever your reason may be, consider this: Valentine's Day isn't just a day to show your significant other (if you have one) your love and adoration, it is a day to make sure that your expression of love for the people closest to you doesn't get forgotten in the day to day stresses and hustle of life. Instead of complaining about buying gifts/flowers/chocolate for your girl friend, not having a significant other or celebrating a "made up holiday," just take a step back and try to appreciate the blessings in your life. Not everyone is as lucky as you are. Also, you never know which day will be your last, so tell everyone special in your life, "I LOVE YOU! HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!"

Snow in Auburn - War Eagle

2010-02-12T22:25:00.004-06:00

Find more videos like this on Auburn Family

A beautiful day in Auburn... Auburn students and residents were enjoying their day off and playing in the snow. This video was taken at noon during the Auburn fight song at Samford Hall.
War Eagle!

Help a PR Pro Out - 33 PR Professionals

2010-02-11T23:22:00.000-06:00

33 PR Professionals Looking for Jobs
(be sure to take a look at #15)

Thanks to PRSarahEvans for your help and I am excited for HAPPO next week. I think this is a great opportunity to show people how social media outlets (like Twitter) are useful for businesses. Whether it is for promotion, recruiting or research, these new social media techniques are a viable means of communication and brand management.

Here is the logo I submitted for HAPPO... be sure to visit the website for more information and Help a PR Pro Out next Friday!

Productive Day... Updated my Resume

2010-02-10T14:33:00.002-06:00

Great Book...

2010-02-10T11:15:00.001-06:00

I just finished an inspiring book by Debra Shigley:
The Go-Getter Girl's Guide: Get What You Want in Work and Life (and Look Great While You're at It).

This book was a perfect read for me as I am about to graduate from college and continue my career. This book was given to me as a gift, but I was truly inspired by the author and by the countless successful and driven women. I recommend this book for all driven women...

A Few Good Social Media Links:

2010-02-09T11:00:00.003-06:00

5 Levels of Effective Communication in the Social Media Age
The Ultimate Social Media Checklist for Job Hunters
11 Social Media Mistakes Your Company Must Avoid

Just an average day...

2010-02-08T23:07:00.000-06:00

Today I went to work for a few hours and then had a much needed relaxing day. I was able to get things done around the house and get ahead in a lot of my work. My biggest accomplishment of the day was finalizing the template I am using on my webpage/final project. After a few hours in the lab, I finished choosing all of the settings I want (for now). I can't wait to see how the final page will look.

Now for the Bachelor and 24 (two of my favorite shows at the moment)...
Bachelor: This season has been crazy. I'm beginning to think that the producers are just creating drama each week to keep the ratings up (Personally, I would watch the show even without the added drama - unnecessary). I am definitely on team TENLEY!
24: Always a new twist. I love this show, but I always wonder how they go through so many different things in one day without showing the effects. Also, they never eat or go to the bathroom.

One last thought... The new Facebook design is just okay. Personally I liked the old design better, but I am always up for change and a fresh new look.

Keep Your Hands off my Momma!

2010-02-07T22:24:00.013-06:00

One of my favorite commercials from the Super Bowl: