#PowerAndInfluence: Back to school

Comms School

Mar 13

Written By

Stephen Waddington and I were invited to join the comms community #PowerAndInfluence Twitter chat, originated by Ella Minty. We tackled development, learning, and blogging. Here are ten takeaways from the discussion.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to what promises to be an incredible #PowerAndInfluence chat hosted by two legends - @wadds and @marcelkl. Tonight we are talking about the importance of learning in #PR and #Comms, and about a newly created online Comms School! pic.twitter.com/6mio8zGcV5
— Ella Minty (@EllaMinty) March 13, 2019

#1 Why Comms School?

It developed from a conversion with @PRstudies and @PR_Place as a means to help students and other people in comms learn to basics of blogging and social networking and get a leg up #PowerAndInfluence
— Stephen Waddington (@wadds) March 13, 2019

Universities are doing a great job with teaching PR and comms in theory, but there’s a lot practical skills that are not tackled. We need #CommsSchool to close the knowledge gap and build the new generation of bloggers. #PowerAndInfluence
— Marcel Klebba (@marcelkl) March 13, 2019

#2 Student blogging

It’s a great means of learning to communicate, create relationationships, and practicing the basic craft of writing and creating images. It’s a means of demonstrating your skills. Writing remains the number one skills demanded by our professional #PowerAndInfluence
— Stephen Waddington (@wadds) March 13, 2019

Agreed. It increases your visibility in the industry. On the practical level, it also helps with job interviews. As @PRstudies said, you can't quite expect to be judged on the day of your interview. Your employer will look you up beforehand. #PowerAndInfluence
— Marcel Klebba (@marcelkl) March 13, 2019

And I can’t express strongly enough how important good writing is as a means of communicating. You can learn the basics but you need to practice #PowerAndInfluence
— Stephen Waddington (@wadds) March 13, 2019

Excellent advice from @wadds. Good writing is absolutely essential but too many applications miss the mark. It’s a fundamental skill #PowerAndInfluence https://t.co/I1S7VUE9s5
— Emma Leech (@EmmaJ70) March 13, 2019

#3 Networking: on- and offline

My advice, not that you asked for it, is to look outside your direct topic. So don't stick to PR, network with SEO geeks and videographers and podcasters and AI gurus. Widen the net & all sorts of new stuff will pop up #PowerAndInfluence
— Paul Sutton (@ThePaulSutton) March 13, 2019

I love social media, but face-to-face networking has a lot more impact. Use social for the initial contact, but then ask for a coffee. That's how I initially connected with @wadds.
Also, look at the upcoming @PRCA_UK and @CIPR_UK drinks to practice. #PowerAndInfluence https://t.co/JQ81Ek2j3b— Marcel Klebba (@marcelkl) March 13, 2019

Networking events at university help a lot. I attended few events in my first and second year of Uni and that made a huge difference when I went to my placement. We need practitioners coming to Unis to talk to #PRstudents #powerandinfluence
— Yana Miladinova (@Y_Miladinova) March 13, 2019

I was never the most confident person in the room. But I was often the youngest. This helped me a lot to get noticed. This and being consistent and regular. #PowerAndInfluence https://t.co/E2faZQXsVW
— Marcel Klebba (@marcelkl) March 13, 2019

I had been aboard for a few years, so coming back in was tough but I found the chats on Twitter, LinkedIn helpful. Ask questions and make a list of things you want learn more about #PowerAndInfluence
— H (@HarrietSmallies) March 13, 2019

Excellent question, Jessica, if I may poke my nose in...I'm actually drafting a blog post for PRSSA on just that topic. Step outside your comfort zone with networking...find as many opportunities as possible (other than PR) for networking. @CCPRSA @USFPRSSA @utprssa
— Kirk Hazlett, APR (@KirkHazlett) March 13, 2019

Networking is important, indeed - and another read here (I didn't choose the title, a contributor to the blog did :):) #PowerAndInfluence https://t.co/6ZIdokv6Nh
— Ella Minty (@EllaMinty) March 13, 2019

#4 Building competency in skillset, regardless of the age group

We’re quick to dismiss the craft of our profession in my view. Basic skills are really importance and @CIPR_UK and @PRCA_UK data shows they’re most in demand #PowerAndInfluence
— Stephen Waddington (@wadds) March 13, 2019

#5 The PR vlogger role

It’s just another form of media: the @WeArePRoofed podcast is available of Google Home and Alexa #PowerAndInfluence
— Stephen Waddington (@wadds) March 13, 2019

#6 Universities' role in driving blogging success

I firmly believe that University PR degrees would be remiss if they didn’t teach blogging/vlogging as standard part of PR skill sets. Indeed, some of the assessments I have set in the BU BAPR courses are blogging. The topic should be what the student is interested in though.
— Dr Joyce Costello (@DrJoyceC) March 13, 2019

I think PR students who take the initiative on their own to blog are those that really will do well in this industry (they have the drive etc.) but Unis should encourage it too. @ConorMcGrathPR does the best job at that! #PowerAndInfluence
— Jessica (@jessicapardoePR) March 13, 2019

I don't think blogging should be compulsory. I you're starting your blog with the intention of abandoning it after the assessment is over, don't do it. Blogging is all about consistency and it's hard work. #PowerAndInfluence https://t.co/PZe60xaJBY
— Marcel Klebba (@marcelkl) March 13, 2019

#7 Learning on a budget

Formal education always beat but there’s lots of free resources.1. Seek out free or low cost resources2. Books, videos, webinars3. Mentors4. Communities and MOOCS5. Practice your craft, repeat #PowerAndInfluence
— Stephen Waddington (@wadds) March 13, 2019

I have to say that I’ve learned so much from the Twitter PR/comms community - I would honestly say that this is the resource I use most for (free) L&D in terms of trends/ industry blogs etc. #PowerandInfluence.
— Hannah Claffey (@hannah_claffey) March 13, 2019

#8 Time management

I write on my iPhone in notes. Don’t over think it. You probably need to spend 1/2 time writing and 1/2 time editing. I rarely set out to blog about a subject. Almost all my blogs develop from something I’ve read, been pitched, or a conversation #PowerAndInfluence
— Stephen Waddington (@wadds) March 13, 2019

#9 Write about what you're passionate about

I struggle when writing about something I don't believe in. When I am passionate about the topic it just flows and that resonates, like with the broke girls series I've been doing or the post on being the spokeswoman, or anything @CommsUnplugged related #PowerAndInfluence
— H (@HarrietSmallies) March 13, 2019

Write about what you love and you’ll never run out of ideas ☺️ #PowerAndInfluence
— Jessica (@jessicapardoePR) March 13, 2019

#10 Having a confidence to blog

Good evening everyone, if I could ask a question it would be regarding confidence to blog, I think for some current students it can sometimes feel like are people are going to be interested in what we write? Do you have any advice over how to choose topics? #PowerAndInfluence
— India Minton-Barker (@i_minton_barker) March 13, 2019

Great question. Don’t worry about it, start by listening to conversations in the industry that are taking place here, and then just do it, you’ll find an audience, or it will find you #PowerAndInfluence
— Stephen Waddington (@wadds) March 13, 2019

I always encourage my students to choose a particular industry or cause that they are interested in. Some use it as an outlet for self expression and others use it to hone their skills. Do what makes you happy. Experiment with blogs/vlogs/podcasts. #Powerandinfluence
— Dr Joyce Costello (@DrJoyceC) March 13, 2019

Write about things that make you think. If you see something, whether on Twitter, on the news, in the paper etc - and think ‘yes, I have an opinion on that’ - then that’s your ‘in’. #PowerandInfluence
— Hannah Claffey (@hannah_claffey) March 13, 2019

Love this question, India. We all tend to overthink and obsess over likes, views, and retweets. Treat you blog like a track of record of what you've learnt and don't look at your stats. Write to explore and think out loud. Treat blog like a digital playground. #PowerAndInfluence https://t.co/Qkvdiy3ZHy
— Marcel Klebba (@marcelkl) March 13, 2019

***

Many thanks to those who joined us tonight. Do follow Ella on Twitter, @EllaMinty and join Stephen and me for the next Comms School lesson on Tuesday, 19 March, 6:30pm. The classes are free: facebook.com/groups/CommsSchool