Adapting to change

When I was first asked to come on board as an intern at RugbyWA, a large part of my role was producing the 'Cut Out Pass' EDM which is sent to over 22 thousand RugbyWA stakeholders. This is one of the most important forms of stakeholder communications at RugbyWA and I was given the opportunity to take it on board and make it my own.

Originally, I started producing Cut Out Pass using Mail Chimp, a service that allows you to mass produce and send EDM's and newsletters to large mailing lists. On my first day as an intern, I took over four hours to complete Cut Out Pass, as I was anxious about completing it with absolute precision and did not have a firm grasp of the Mail Chimp system. After producing around 10 Cut Out Pass editions through Mail Chimp, I managed to start producing the EDM with the same quality in under an hour. It allowed me to complete more tasks throughout the day, which I felt increased my value as an intern and allowed me to learn more, rather than taking over half my day to complete the newsletter.

However, in March of this year RugbyWA changed their EDM platform to 'Exact Target,' which is run through 'Sales Force' and gives much more advanced EDM analytics and allows you to learn much more about your audience. This was difficult for me, as I was beginning to know Mail Chimp back to front and inside out, and was all of a sudden told that the subscription was not being renewed and I would never be using it again.

This meant that I had to start again from square one with Exact Target, and being a more advanced program it was a difficult task. When first using Exact Target, it felt like my first day as an intern all over again. I sat there dumfounded for over four hours attempting to do a job I was used to doing quickly between the hours of 4pm and 5pm. It was a difficult change, but now 12 editions later I know the structure of Exact Target as well as I used to know Mail Chimp.

The lesson from this is that whilst I was at first hesitant and anxious about the change, all it did was challenge me and allow me to learn a new system and the back end of a program that is very beneficial in regards to stakeholder relations.

Luke.

From Little Things Big Things Grow

Looking back to where it all started I remember dreading starting my internship, where do I begin, where do I want to go, can I really do this, were all questions circling in my mind.
I think I speak for a lot of students when I say I was not looking forward to working for free and that some of the intern adverts looked a little dry, not quite as exciting as Samantha's office from the Sex and the City. But could I really be picky? I'm just a university student, and I'm definitely not the only one looking for a placement, so I should just be happy with anything I can get, right? Wrong!
If you start early enough and do your research you can find somewhere that fits you as well.

Fortunately for myself whilst social butterflying around Perth I began talking to someone who worked for Rugby WA and the Western Force. This organisation was the dream for me as an internship, because of all the rugby players walking around the office? Maybe, but mostly because I had always taken extra interest in sport. Throughout school I was always the sport captain and that didn't change when I arrived at Curtin becoming their sports captain in 2014. All my work experience and volunteer work had been with sporting events so Rugby WA just seemed like the next step up for me.
Networking is a handy tool for any students toolbox and thankfully that is how I found out that they were looking for interns for the upcoming season and eagerly asked for a direct contact that I could submit my interest to. After handing in my resume and acquiring an interview I received an email congratulating me on my new role in the partnerships team at Rugby WA and Western Force.

For a moment I had a sigh of relief, the hard part was over, or so I thought. Day one rolled around and I began to doubt my ability to 'PR', the 'what ifs began to appear in my mind, what if I have to write a press release on my fist day, what if I end up sitting alone at lunch, what if I forget how to send an email, what if I make a mistake. But day one interns don't stress, most tasks are simple, like spread sheets and data entry and all my tasks always came with a set of instructions to help me along the way. I also quickly learnt that the ability to ask questions was my greatest ally, no matter how silly I thought my question might have been, my manger was never frustrated at me and never thought my question was stupid. Asking the question helped to get the job done quicker and ensured it was done to the best of my ability.

As my internship continued my confidence built and the more tasks I was given. Towards the end I was able to walk into the office, sit down at my desk and continue working without any instruction from my manager. My what if's had faded away and I realised that every mistake I made throughout my time at Rugby WA had built me up to be a better intern, learning how to fix things myself and how to avoid making future errors.

Now at the end of my internship I realise that I was never working for free. Hands on experience teaches you things that you could never pick up in a classroom and I am so grateful to Rugby WA and Western Force for giving me this opportunity to grow and develop as a PR student. I now have the confidence I needed to take me into the next stage of life beyond university and I owe it to my internship.

'The Interns' and ladies from commercial services, celebrating our final Western Force home game together

Expedia Partners Award Summit 2016

Expedia organized a ceremony in Sofitel Resort & Spa and the company where i'm doing an internship (Ropsen Tour Operator) was invited as it has a few accommodations listed on Expedia.

The summit started with a nice coffee as from 9.00 am, followed by a presentation from a few members of Expedia where they explained how tour operators and hotels might become more competitive and they proposed some ideas that could be implemented in the near future. The presentation included statistics from tourists in Mauritius so that entrepreneurs who attended could figure out where potential guests were more keen to stay for their holidays. I can say that the young lady who presented learnt everything as all the statistics' figures were so easy for her where everything seemed complicated for me!

Afterwards, there was the award ceremony which took place, where the best hotels and tour operators that received the most bookings through Expedia were rewarded. It ended at 12.30 and lunch was served after.

It was the first time that i attended a presentation as such, as each time it was only the presentations at university! It was really professional and i learnt a lot of things in the tourism industry.

The Importance of Research

Interning at an event management company that runs its own and clients’ events, it’s almost impossible to be left with nothing to do. With at least five events occurring from May to July- two of them being their own- work at Event and Conference Co lately has been nothing short of busy. There’s media releases to be sent out, clients, venues and special guests to liaise with, marketing ideas to be formulated and executed, and most importantly; RESEARCH TO BE DONE!

Though often tedious and time-consuming, I’ve found research to be one of the most important aspects of my work, whether it be for event planning or solely for public relations purposes. Throughout my time at Curtin, the importance of research and knowing what you’re talking about and who you’re talking to has been stressed in each and every PR unit. I’ve always been aware that there is a significant amount of research behind events, but I’ve never really understood how much until now.

This research has been centred on an upcoming formal event in July, dedicated to Perth’s emergency service men and women. With an event in honour of a particular group of people, ensuring we have the right guests, sponsors and a suitable venue has been a painstakingly long task. It has been my responsibility to create a comprehensive database of both potential event sponsors and invited guests. I made it my mission to make these databases as complete and concise as possible, considering all paid workers as well as volunteers in the metropolitan area. I then widened my search to consider other professions, such as psychologists and lawyers; that may help these service men and women within and beyond their job descriptions.

Completing this database was one of the longest tasks I've been given at my internship, and by no means did I consider it to be a complete and comprehensive list of all individuals associated with emergency services in Perth. That list could have gone on forever! For me, this task emphasised the importance of research, and just how much is necessary to contribute to a successful event. This task tested my work ethic, and made me realize how important it is to research your guests rather than inviting everyone and anyone to a formal event, or any particular company rather than targeting organisations with common interests relating to your cause.

Until next time,

Clare

From Dipping My Toes in the Water to Jumping Into the Deep End

It's game day three and I'm already hosting my own room filled with our corporate partners. Jump back to game day two and I was standing in the corner watching our finance superstar Jess work the room and deal with any questions our partners may have.

This isn't my first time hosting a room, previously as the promotions manager for a nightclub in Northbridge I have done my fair share of hosting patrons in the club, birthday functions and celebrity meet and greets however hosting a room filled with some of our biggest partners is a lot different to getting semi-intoxicated 18-20 year olds excited about a Geordie Shore star. I am nervous yet excited, I feel as though the Western Force have put a lot of trust and faith in me by appointing me this responsibility and it makes me feel as though my hard work in the office and on game day has paid off.

The corporate room is called the Black Swan Bar and to set it up we need to ensure every company has its own pod with the correct signage. Each pod fits 10 people and requires five match programmes and Karma Resort flyers. The branding in the room needs to be checked with a Retravision sign and two Karma Resort pull-outs on the stage. It is my responsibility to ensure the Ipod is plugged in and the music is at a good volume, I have to give a run-down to the catering staff and make sure the security at the door have spare lanyards for any guests who have forgotten to bring theirs for their tickets. Before gates open I speak to the event representative from the NIB stadium in-case anything needs to be changed, am involved with the corporate hospitality briefing and have a quick run-over with the MC to discuss what competitions need to be run throughout the night and when they will be announced.

At gates open three Western Force players arrive in the room and I have to give them instructions on what they will be doing in the room. They have a spot the ball competition and a business card draw that they will need to explain to the partners in each pod. I also have to collect the prizes from BLK and Retravision for these competitions.

In the room are companies such as the Asthma Foundation, Schweppes, Redpath, BLK, Wilde and Woollard, Titan Ford, Print Sync, SGS, Metrix, Retravision and Shelf Subsea. I memorise where each company's pod is and walk guests as they enter to their appointed areas. As the team runs onto the field people start to exit the room to their seats to watch the kick off, whilst most would think that I too would get to watch the game, this is the time where I enjoy a quality meal of beef cheeks, mashed potato and vegetables, one of the perks of working in the corporate areas, no cold pizza for me!

At half time guests return to have dinner and I talk to the Karma resorts representative to let her know how her staff have been in the room. The game recommences for the second half and once everyone has left the room I get to watch the final 10 minutes of the game in the stands.

Full time and everyone is back in the room taking advantage of the free alcohol for final hour. This is when myself and the MC get up on stage and run the 'Heads and Tales' competition and hand out all prizes for the night. The final 45 minutes for me are a great opportunity to network as I walk to each pod to chat about the game and make sure they have enjoyed their night.

The night has gone smoothly and many of the guests thank me as they exit and commend me on the great job I did hosting the room. In the office the following week both of my managers commend me on the great work and tell me they had great feedback from a number of guests in the room that night. This type of feedback is very rewarding and I am excited to now be the Black Swan Bar host for remainder of the season.

From left to right: Natalie, Laura (me), Bron and Stevie posing in the Black Swan Bar before the night's events kick off

Suits and Ties vs. Stockings and Skirts

As Public Relations (PR) students we all wonder how, when or where we will find job placement upon leaving university, what field of PR we'd like to pursue, whether we chose the right profession to study and if we have done enough to become successful in the workforce.

After working with the Western Force and Rugby WA over the last few months I have been able to answer some of these questions, but have also created new ones. I have found a passion for PR in the sporting industry, I have chosen a profession that matches my interest in people, networking and events. I now, however, question the likelihood of me, as a female student, acquiring a PR role within the sporting industry and whether many advancement opportunities would be available within the company?

This topic has been touched on by a number of tutors during my studies at Curtin University.  They had mentioned the lack of male students studying PR and lack of males in the PR industry makes it more likely for them to find placement after university.  After researching journal articles based on gender roles in PR and I found that issues of salary differences, differing percentages of men and women in managerial roles and the barriers to women advancing in companies were frequently addressed. A study titled 'Gender differences in Public Relations Students' Career Attitudes: a Benchmark Study', confirmed many female students shared my concerns. 

At the Western Force there are a greater number of male staff, the office environment presents as being relaxed, interactions between staff members and the overall atmosphere creates a feeling of comradery. Every now and then you can feel as though you are part of the male locker room with the banter that ensues between co-workers. In the partnerships team there are two managers who are both male and there are five interns, all female. 
One of the managers mentioned he had hoped to hire more males this year as he already had two female interns continuing on from the previous year. Although the female applicants this year did not have the most extensive knowledge about rugby the interview process saw them successful in acquiring the positions. I have found that while my limited rugby knowledge has not affected my ability to provide effective PR it has given me something more to work towards. I have found a new appreciation for rugby and I'm enjoying not only improving my PR skills but also furthering my knowledge elsewhere. Being able to now contribute to conversations based around sport in the office is a small victory and it betters my performance when hosting corporate areas on game day. 

I do believe that my experience with the Western Force will help me in future job opportunities in the sporting industry, however, I feel as though I will need to make efforts to be considered equal against male applicants or employees in the future, but I'm up for the challenge. 

The women of Western Force

Handling a media crisis.

Throughout my time at Devahasdin PR we’ve been fortunate enough not to have to utilise a crisis management plan for any of our clients or events. However, the overall importance of acknowledging the likelihood of a media crisis is fundamental through all business processes.  Whilst discussing this throughout various PR units at Curtin it wasn’t until undertaking my internship that I discovered how integral contingency plans were in all situations. Whether it be on event day, any form of bad media/press or even client proceedings, understanding and establishing key tactics for potential issues is key in establishing a concise and reputable business that can handle anything that comes its way.

The few tips I’ve learned throughout my time at DPR is that handling a particular media crisis can either make or break you as a business and your relationships with your clients.

The following are four key pointers I’ve learnt throughout my time at DPR to assist in how to handle any crisis, if a predicament ever eventuates throughout my professional career.

1.     Make sure you understand and emphasise all key messages.

When responding to a crisis I believe it is key to understand the overall message you wish to get across to both the media and general public. In order to do this you need to prepare yourself before communicating these messages and make sure they possess controlled, succinct messages that address the issue.

2.     Be accountable and honest regarding the situation at hand.

Whether or not you believe the situation is right or wrong accountability resonates highly with all clients and pupils as it displays loyalty and honesty to all entities involved. Whilst it may be a damaging crisis to the company facing up t the companies mistakes will in turn allow for more positive outcomes in the long term.

3.     Keep all relevant individuals informed.

This relates back to the overall communication skills possessed by a company. The key is to make sure information is accurate, which will assist in maintaining a valued relationship amongst all stakeholders. Briefing assists in a greater understanding amongst all parties and assists in sustaining the overall brand and issue at hand.

4.     Refer to your crisis management plan

Having an official crisis management plan will assist in developing a streamlined process when having to address the concerning issue. The plan will support and allow the company to establish key messages, spokespeople and key media targets to address the crisis.

I know that I will most definitely utilize these tips throughout my professional career, as I believe they’re fundamental when working in the PR industry. I feel that although I wouldn’t know how to react to a crisis I would at least have a guideline of my first few moves when learning how to handle one.

Thanks for reading,

Georgia

The Drawing Board - Planning our Event!

 

The Drawing Board – Planning our event

 

Exciting times ahead! We are planning an event!

My internship at Channel 9 Perth has seen a lot of meetings and pitches but now we are putting our ideas and plans into action, creating an event! At Channel 9 everyone at the Perth offices have accepted me as a new addition to staff, never have I felt uncomfortable or unequal. This is why at the many meetings and brainstorming sessions we have had I am given opportunity to contribute ideas and add value, making this event doubly exciting for me!

The event in question is apart of a larger event called ‘Kids Wonderland’, which Channel 9 have partnered with Perth City to sponsor, the overall event is a 9 day carnival for kids and their families, with expected attendance of over 45,000 people! Channel 9’s involvement also includes running our own kids attraction to engage with the community but also to raise awareness of the launch for ‘The Voice 2016’. To start off with we brainstormed ideas, it was interesting to note that the head of marketing at Channel 9 still used white-boards all around his office to create idea maps, even with great technology available sometimes the simplest things are the best way to go. Criteria for this event was that we needed to make it a draw card for audiences at the event, fun for kids and of course Voice related. After a few different suggestions and working out the pros and cons we settled on creating a karaoke event for kids! We have plans to recreate the Voice stage and have cardboard cutouts of the famous judges for photos as well!

After deciding what we wanted to do for the event we then had to figure out what materials we would need, how much we wanted to spend and how we could best utilise the space we were allocated. To sort through this we sketched a rough version of the area, then we made a list of materials we already had, such as the stage backdrop, lights, tables and television. Then went on the hunt around the station to see what we could find, such as an appropriate sized stage, microphones and other items such as red carpet and bollards. Having then made an inventory of what we already had we started searching for what we needed, such as a karaoke machine and appropriate merchandise to give the kids as well.

Many emails and phone calls were made to get quotes on materials and meetings with merchandise providers were attended to see the most appropriate products to have designed. So now the stage we are at is we have an event, we have equipment, and we have materials in production which I can’t wait to see the final product for! Now all we need is guest appearances! So currently brainstorming some ‘Perthanalities’ who could get up on stage with the kids and make the event extra special, getting the Channel 9 brand out there, whilst creating awareness for the launch of ‘The Voice 2016’!

I can’t wait to share this experience with you all! Watch this space!

- Maddi

The End of the Beginning

The End of the Beginning

By Alaine Bailey-Bentley Campus

Today was supposed to be my last day at Momentum Forum but unfortunately I was not able to complete it (although I had already completed by 20 required days previously). I had been up vomiting all night and had a fever. I had to call up Barbara regretfully and tell her I could not come to work as I still had a fever and abdominal pain. After going to the doctors he told me it was food poisoning. I wish I could have made up my last day but I begin work at my new internship next week so am unable to do it but I did thank Barbara sincerely for such a great opportunity-both on the phone and in email.

Working for Momentum Forum Events I learnt many things about how to form and maintain relationships with clients, advertise yourself to the public and companies, how to research and contact companies as well as other handy tools such as using Mail Chimp, designing a newspaper advert and writing media releases. It was definitely a worth while experience and I wish Barbara all the best for her next event, the Men in Black Ball which I know will be fabulous if the International Women’s Day Luncheon was anything to go by.

As for me and my future, I have gained another internship with a food blogger. After meeting with her, she promised to help me improve my written skills as well giving me the opportunity to manage her social media accounts (something I am very interested in as a Mass Communication student). She also mentioned that I will be involved in helping her created EDMs, a marketing calendar for her Crust pizza shop that she owns, as well as creating emails and contacting local sponsors for both her blog and her shop. I will always fondly remember Momentum Forum Events as a place that introduced me to the working environment and professional environment and for that I am eternally grateful. This internship has definitely been a worthwhile experience and my advice to future student of the unit is to choose somewhere that is in your desired field as you never know, but it may lead to a job opportunity after your internship completion!

Hello Darlink and Feedback.

Hello Darlink and Feedback

By Alaine Bailey-Bentley Campus

I arrived a little early to the Hello Darlink Talkshow shoot today incase there were any problems and also just so I could take in all the setup of media equipment. It was quite fascinating watching Rex and his son Matthew (the two camera men of the day) rearrange the Medaesthetics office into a space that they could film an interview. It took many small adjusts to get the cameras in different positions to ensure all desirable angles where captured.

When Barbara arrived she quickly went off with Doctor Ehsan Jadoon to go over the interview questions to ensure he was happy with all language that was being used. This left me to chat with Rex who I found to be very friendly and well informed of PR. He began explaining the best ways to interview people and gave me tips to use if I was ever working in a business that experienced a crisis and I were then required to address the media. He also explained the different reasons for setting up furniture and cameras in certain places-something I found interesting, as I had wanted to be a part of the media industry because I chose to pursue PR.

All went smoothly during the filming of the interview; Rex at one point did blatantly stop Barbara if she couldn't be understood or hesitated too long. Seeing the way Barbara was unfazed by his constructive criticism really impressed me because it showed me even someone as experienced as Barbara still needs direction some time, and she was more than willing to hear to Rex’s suggestions-and most importantly-listen to them.

Once the interview was finished and Ehsan had to leave to go to an appointment, we had to pack up as quickly as possible and go to our next location –Robbie’s bouquet in Subiaco where the second interview would be taking place. The moment we got there Barbara headed straight for the change rooms, inspiring Robbie to change his plain top to a black sparkly one. She came out in a completely different outfit (cream two piece) that looked amazing on her. She even found a handbag at the bouquet to match her outfit (while also giving Robbie some small bit of business as a token of respect and appreciation for allowing her to interview him). Barbara had asked if Robbie would like to run through the questions before hand just like Ehsan but he had opted to hear it while being filmed so it was raw and natural rather than staged if he had to answer the questions over and over.

The interview went uninterrupted, except when buses and motorbikes zoomed past the store and Rex had to call a halt to the interview until they passed so the sound levels wouldn't be interrupted.

The next few days at Momentum Forum were just comprised of more research. I must admit it has become a bit tedious and my research standards had begun to drop- something I had not picked up on. But as I went in on Tuesday after the public holiday Stacey sat down with me and addressed this with me. She told me my research has to be more specific as there were many gaps. I was confused by what she meant ‘gaps’ but as I asked, she clarified that some names were missing to contact. I then explained that I could not find those names and therefore that is why they weren’t listed. She quickly understood, nodding her head and told me to make sure to clarify and write ‘no name’ if I could not find any on their website.

I think I was still at the stage where I was thinking this was a university course where everything I do will be marked, and acknowledged but nothing would really come from it after completing it. Stacey’s talk with me definitely made me realize that everything I do must be clear and to a high standard. I can’t expect people to read my mind and understand that the missing information is due to me being unable to locate the information; they will instead interpret it as laziness and sloppiness.

Other tasks that I was asked to help complete included:

-       Double checking VIP guest names before they were printed

-       Writing an introduction for Barbara to read out when awarding Rabia Siddique the Most Inspiring Women of 2016 in the community category for International Women’s Day

-       Creating social media posts for different Facebook pages to celebrate Internationals Women’s Day

-       Helping edit and write an AV sheet for the event.

I am excited and nervous for the actual event, which is in three days time (on Friday)!