Blogging Tips

I still consider myself a neophyte when it comes to blogging, however I would still like to offer some bits of advice to those who are just joining the wonderful world of blogging.

#1 - Always blog about something you like.  I have had blogs for my classes before and they were about topics I was not interested in and let me tell you, those blogs lasted as long as required then were lost in cyber space.  When you don't like something writing about it is just plain boring.

#2 - Don't worry about length, just make sure your blogs mean something and are not just words on a page.  People won't read something about nothing.  Your blog can be 5 pages or 5 words long, just make sure it is interesting.

#3 - Use correct spelling.  No one wants to read something with misspellings, and it makes you look less intelligent.

#4 - Incorporate elements other than just text.  People get board with reading only text give them some pictures or videos to look at as well.

#5 - Make sure you write in chunks.  Your blog will read so much better if it broken down into chuck and be much more visually appealing.

Happy Blogging!

Learn All About Me

In my PR media class this year we learned all about InDesign.  For a final project I created a magazine all about me.  It gives you a look into my personal and professional life.
So, take a look and see what I am all about.

All About Kasey

Let's Follow

Throughout my blogging experience I have learned that blogging requires not only good information, but also pictures and a variety of topics.  One blog that recommend everyone at follow, especially those people in Stillwater, Okla is: Friends of the Humane Society. They do a wonderful job of telling all about the pets that need homes in the city of Stillwater.  They also share the great things that this community does for the shelter.  For example on Nov. 6 we learned all about how OSU helped revamp the kitty play room.  If you are looking for a new family member or just love to play with animals this is a great place to start looking.

Rocket's Ball Skills

My dog Rocket is completely obsessed with his ball, and he loves to show off his skills to people.  We decided to make a vlog to show everyone just how good his skills are.

Enjoy!

Reaching out with Vlogs

The Central Oklahoma Humane Society held an event called Midnight Woofness.  They wanted to get a record number of adoption in a 48 hour period.

Ellen DeGeneres is huge advocate of the humane treatment of animals so the humane society decided to reach out to her for help at the event.  During event they vlogged at different times of the day to show what type of progress they were making.

Doing this vlog showed people how they event was doing as it progressed rather than just telling everyone after it was over.  The humane society broke a national record of 350 and adopted over 370 pets at Midnight Woofness.

Making of the OKState Flashmob - Extra Credit

Oklahoma State University's school of Media and Strategic Communications planned and executed a Flashmob on OSU's campus on Sept. 30 prior to the OSU v. Alabama football game.  Dr. Nichols Advanced PR Media class planned the flashmob. 

The flashmob was a great way for me to learn how to execute a real PR event, see the outcomes of the event and work with the media.

We were able to contact KTUL out of Tulsa, Okla. to come and video our flashmob.  Overall participating in this flashmob gave me great PR experience and was a lot of fun.

The video above is a 'making of' video that my group created in class.  (If you really like my video you can go to our Facebook page and 'like' the video to get my group extra credit.)

Dr. Nichols also got some great shots of the flashmob and its rehursals:

Job Hunting: Social Media Style

Podcast

Job Hunting, Social Media Style

 http://okstateflashmob.podbean.com/#
 

Dance Group – Kasey Parker, Rachel Martin, Lisa Watkins and Kimbra Craddock

Intro – We are Public Relations seniors at Oklahoma State University.  Today we are talking about how we use/used social media during job hunting.

Facebook –

·    According to a new study conducted by CareerBuilder.com, 45 percent of employers questioned are using social networks to screen job candidates — more than double from a year earlier.

·    The study, which questioned 2,667 managers and human resource workers, found that 35 percent of employers decided not to offer a job to a candidate based on the content uncovered on a social networking site.

·    The report showed that Facebook was the most popular online destination for employers to do their online investigating, followed by LinkedIn and MySpace. In addition, 7 percent followed job candidates on Twitter.

·    More than half of the employers who participated in the survey said that provocative photos were the biggest factor contributing to a decision not to hire a potential employee, while 44 percent of employers pinpointed references to drinking and drug use as red flags. Other warning signs included bad-mouthing of previous employers and colleagues and poor online communication skills.

·     You absolutely can use Facebook to leverage yourself in the company.  Go ahead and  “friend” your boss and many coworkers, and intentionally post things that will make them think highly of you. You can post industry related material with great commentaries or very positive things (“Great day today!  Big project at work is going along well and I cannot wait to see the results of it!”).   Use it to your advantage!

Twitter –

·    55 million tweets per day – O’Reilly Radar by Ben Lorica

·    600 million searched topics per day – O’Reilly Radar by Ben Lorica

·    The “Value of Social Media Report” that was released by Econsultancy and the Online Marketing Summit, found that 69% of companies focus on twitter as their main form of social media.

·    5 tips to getting a job through twitter – go to tweetups, provide advice for free, connect with connectors, make it known you are looking for work and offer to help – Twitip – Jade Craven

Blogs –

·    Blogging is a great way to create your online presence; they allow you to speak honestly and openly with your readers.

·    Blogging, whether it’s about your personal life, to share interests and hobbies or about their businesses, is a great way to enhance communication and culture in a corporation.

·    The actual creation of a blog involves specific, marketable skills that look very impressive to potential employers. They offer real world training in Web-development language, graphic design and a digital display of your writing talent.

·    Blogs can also help you manage your online reputation but you must be careful because your online presence is something you want to keep nice and neat.

·    If your new to blogging, blogger and word press are really easy blog hosts for new users and guess what they are free.

LinkedIn –

•     LinkedIn in a very important tool that you can use in your job search.
•     Linkedin is a popular social networking website that is designed for users to build business contacts to benefit their business or for people seeking employment to find the right job for them. It is free to join and easy to use.
•     You can upload your resume, write and receive recommendations from teachers, classmates and employers, send direct messages to professionals and research companies that you may be interested in working at.
•     Many professionals in the communications industries are on LinkedIn, as well as almost every other industry type.  I have been able to connect with pros that I met at student conferences, career fairs and on club field trips.
•     LinkedIn is just another way to get your name and resume out to professionals to start building relationships with them.

Outro – The 10 commandments of social media usage

1 –Add value first, and sell LAST

2 –listen twice as much as you talk

3 – Do not spam all your contacts

4 – Do not act like a stuck up jerk

5 – Do not steal all your friends contacts

6 – Do personalize every invitation you make to join any network

7 – Do remember that 10 can be more powerful than 10000

8 – Do not beg (for anything)

9 – Do be authentic and transparent in all you do

10 – Do not forget the power of face to face conversation

It's a Doggy Dog World

What You Need to do Before Bringing Home a New Puppy - petliferadio.com - Podcast

I have had Rocket since April, so our house is completely puppy proof.  However, it took a lot of preparation before we got Rocket to make it that way.  The podcast made by petliferadio.com gives some really good tips on how to bring a puppy home and make him comfortable.  There were two things that really stuck out to me as being important.  One thing you need to do is to know what type of food the puppy was eating before you take him home.  You need to make sure you have the same type of food so that it makes the transition easier.  The second thing is to make sure you have a crate ready for him before he gets home.  The women on the podcast tell us that having a crate for a puppy is like having a play pen for a baby.  It's not a jail cell, it's a play place where they are safe.

Rocket's New Gear

If you have not figured out yet, Rocket is one of the most spoiled dogs ever born.  My fiance is a marathon runner and is really excited about training Rocket to run with him.  Living in Texas the ground gets really hot during the summer and really cold during the winter, so we though that Rocket could use some shoes for his feet, yes a little ridiculous but so cute.  Going with the shoes he of course needed a jacket so he does not get cold in the winter. 

ruffwear.com

Pet photo contest raises money for United Way - The Daily O'Collegian

Pet photo contest raises money for United Way - The Daily O'Collegian
By Rachel Benbrook

University students and Stillwater residents who think they have the cutest pets can help the United Way while showing off their furry friends.
Registration for the information technology department's pet photo contest began Monday.
Anyone can register in 305 Whitehurst, and registration ends Oct. 29. The entry fee is $5 for students and $10 for non-students.
Scott Roark is in charge of the department's committee. He said it was his goal to hold a fundraiser that wasn't common to catch the attention of participants.
"We were trying to come up with a nontraditional fundraising idea," Roark said. "Something that might be a little more fun than a bake sale."
Participants will bring their entry fee with them when they register and will be given the e-mail address where pictures are to be submitted.
Several members of the OSU faculty volunteered to be judges for the event, including Dr. Michael Lorenz, dean of veterinary medicine; Mary Kay Jennings, assistant to Lorenz; and Lee Bird, vice president of student affairs.
The winners of the contest will receive numerous prizes: a free spay and neuter, treats for their pet and free visits to the Center for Vetrinary Health Sciences clinic.
Roark said the pet contest benefits the United Way, and can help raise awareness for homeless animals at the same time.
"Hopefully today people will want to get a pet and adopt," Roark said. "That is an added bonus to today."
All OSU students and members of the Stillwater community are encouraged to enter pictures of their pets.

Faith - a Gift from God

I saw this video in my Crisis class a few weeks ago.  We were discussing news topics and one topic was human interest.  This video fits that critera perfectly.  I had never seen anything like this and it made me feel truly blessed to have what I have.

Shelters using Social Media

Social Media is everywhere we look now days so, I find it only appropriate to look at how animal shelters are using social media to get their news out.  The Stillwater Humane Society is using a few different techniques.  The are using twitter @hspets and facebook.  My favorite thing, however, that Stillwater is using is their blog.  They update their blog with bios about adoptable pets and about their upcoming events.  They also use Petfinder to put up information about all their pets, this is how I found Rocket.  Using Petfinder they can explain their pets personalities and put up any information needed and pictures of each pet wanting a home. 

Here is an example of Petfinder, this was Rocket's page before we adopted him.

See more pets like this

Chocolate Chip/10A - Adopted!

Labrador Retriever/Siberian Husky Mix: An adopted dog in Stillwater, OK

Medium • Baby • Male

Chocolate Chip is part of a litter of puppies that was abandoned outside the bagel store here. We have no idea what breed they are. He is neutered and ready to be adopted. His adoption fee is $75. WE DO NOT SHIP OUR PETS. YOU MUST COME TO STILLWATER TO ADOPT.

More about Chocolate Chip/10A

Spayed/Neutered • Up-to-date with routine shots

Chocolate Chip/10A's Contact Info

Humane Society of Stillwater, Stillwater, OK

• 405-377-1701
• Email Humane Society of Stillwater
• See more pets from Humane Society of Stillwater
• For more information, visit Humane Society of Stillwater's Web site.

The Central Oklahoma Humane Society is also utilizing social media in several ways.  They are using facebook, twitter @okhumane, myspace and a blog.  They are also using YouTube, which I think is a unique way to get people involved in activities they are doing.  A few months ago they held an event called Midnight Woofness.  This event was to try and get as many adoptions as possible in one night.  They submitted this event to The Ellen Show.  On their YouTube page you can see all the videos they took that night and submitted to Ellen. 

"St. Francis Day in a Box!"

Pets and Church are two things you do not see related a lot of the time.  However, the Humane Society of the United States is changing this.  I love this idea of bringing animals and the Church together, two of my favorite things combined.  The Humane Society is creating kits called "St. Francis Day in a Box!"  They are $15 and include film, discussion material and learning projects for Bible study groups and Sunday school groups.  St. Francis of Assisi is the patron Saints and animals and is his feast day is celebrated on Oct. 4.  The Humane Society created these kits in anticipation for his feast day so that people can learn more about what St. Francis did for animals.  One of the most well know instances St. Francis had with animals was, he and his companions were traveling down a road and on either side of the road the trees were filled with birds.  St. Francis told him companions "wait for me while I go to preach to my sisters the birds".  The birds came down and surrounded St. Francis and did not fly away but were drawn in to listen to his voice.  "St. Francis Day in a Box" will be a wonderful way for people to learn more about St. Francis and great way to learn more respect for animals.

Interviewing a PR Pro

I am a student at Oklahoma State University majoring in public relations.  In one of my classes this semester we had an assignment to interview a PR professional. I am an intern at OKC All Sports Association, so I choose to interview Kati O'Kelley, she holds the public relations position at All Sports.  I got some great tips and advice from her and wanted to share it with everyone else. 

Kati O’Kelley is a new hire at The Oklahoma City All Sports Association.  She is a 2008 graduate from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in public relations.  She hired on at All Sports in the Special Events and Public Relations position.  I met Kati at All Sports, which is also where we did our interview.  I am an intern there and Kati is my mentor.

A typical week for Kati at All Sports is never the same.  Because All Sports is a non-profit organization set up to sponsor sporting events, all schedules work around the upcoming events.  The next event that Kati is working on is Dribble for Dollars.  This event is coming up on Oct. 4.  This past week she worked on making an information sheet and flyer for the media and participants of Dribble for Dollars.  She has also been making lots of phone calls for donations and answering questions for people that are participating in the event.  On Thursday of last week Kati did a drive thru of the locations the event would be at to see what all was needed to get set up and see how much space was available.

The project that Kati is most proud of is Dribble for Dollars.  Because Kati has been employed for about a month this is her first project with the organization.  She did say however, that she has really enjoyed getting to jump right in and work on a major project.

To keep current in the public relations industry Kati makes sure she knows the newest technology being used and makes sure she knows what is going on the sports world.  She is also a member of the Public Relations Society of America OKC and New Pros in PRSA.  She said that these organizations help to her to stay up to date on what is going on it the OKC area.

The most important thing Kati wishes she would have know about public relations before she started her career was how important writing was.  She said she had a basic grasp on writing and AP knowledge but did not realize how much she would really use it or how important it would be.  She also said on a smaller scale she wishes she would have had some background in Indesign work prior to getting her position at All Sports.  The three tips she would offer to someone just starting off in the public relations industry would be: do not be shy, have good writing skills and do not burn any bridges.  She said that not being shy and burning bridges flow together because you need to stay in contact with people that you meet at all levels.  And give all people respect no matter what positions they hold because at some point in your life you could be working with them.

Because Kati is in the public relations position at All Sports, I asked her what the organization would do if they encountered a crisis.  She said that the best thing for them to do would be to stay calm and get all the facts before they reacted incorrectly.  They would want to let everyone know what is going on, but they want to make sure they have the facts straight before they start telling people the information.

After talking to Kati I realized I am still excited to be entering into the public relations industry.  In her day-to-day work she gets to work with all types of people, and she gets to plan all sorts of events.  She never has a typical day, which means things never get to boring.  Her answers were what I expected from someone working in the public relations industry, but it was good to hear all her advice and know that I am still on the right track in my career path.  

Fort Woof

I should preface this post by saying that Rocket is a traveling dog.  While I live in Oklahoma my fiancé lives in Fort Worth, Texas.  We both live in apartments therefore Rocket does not have a lot of yard to run around in.  We take him on walks and to play at the park, however, you cannot let him off a lease to run at a lot of these locations.  Last week while Fort Worth we found an amazing park called 'Fort Woof'  It is a dog park that is completely fenced in.  Your dog is free from his lease and can run and play will all the other dogs. 

The tennis balls laying around were Rockets favorite part of the entire trip.  We could hardly get him to play with anything else. 

Rocket also really enjoyed the tubes and ramps, but he used them for more of a resting place than somewhere to play.



What this is all about...

My name is Kasey, I am a senior at Oklahoma State University and a proud new mom of a six month old puppy named Rocket. Since I got Rocket everything I do revolves around him. I want to share some funny stories of things he has done along with letting people know some of the great organizations I have found for animals.

My fiancé and I adopted Rocket from the Stillwater Humane Society. When Rocket was found he was one of a litter of five who were all malnourished and covered in fleas and ticks. The Stillwater Humane Society cleaned up all the puppies and got them food and care. All five of the puppies have since been adopted. One of Rocket’s sisters, Molly, was adopted by our close friends so they still play together at least once a week.

Rocket is a very funny dog and is obsessed with his ball. He does lots of fun things and has lots of fun stories I can’t wait to share.