In the PR industry, it’s essential to be organized and on the ball. Our clients expect us to be up-to-date and relevant in a variety of industries; so there are a few apps that we have come to rely on here at the office that help us to bring our ‘A’ game every time.

1. HootSuite has many functions. It allows you to monitor multiple Twitter feeds for your different clients and you can schedule tweets ahead of time. You can also monitor mentions and you can select certain news feeds to follow (like a competitor) to stay up-to-date with the conversations surrounding your industry.

2. Zite is a useful tool for compiling top news stories in one app. You can choose the industries you would like to hear about, like social media, politics, current events, PR news, etc., so you can stay up-to-date with what’s going on in the world.

3. Google Drive allows you to store all your documents in one place. On the go a lot? This app is definitely a life saver when you need access to a document but are away on business. It’s also incredibly easy to file share with this handy app.

4. Flipboard is useful for putting all of your interests into one place. Similar to Zite, Flipboard chooses the top news stories based on your selected interests. It also displays your Twitter news feed and you can make your own magazines by saving stories and sharing them with selected friends. It’s great for sharing event ideas!

5. Trello a fancy to-do list and notepad for recording ideas. This app is useful for tracking what you need to do during the day, items that need to be picked up and projects completed. A great app for staying organized while on the go!

6. Facebook Pages is useful if you manage multiple pages on Facebook. Here, you can monitor conversation about your client/business and respond to fans. You can upload and edit photos, send private messages and create posts all from your phone!

Last week, Carly Rae Jepsen threw the opening pitch for Tampa Bay Rays / Houston Astros and embarrassed herself by earning the title of the worst opening pitch. Hundreds of thousands of people have seen the video and thousands more most likely have seen the Gifs created in her honour.

Unfortunately, in PR we cannot control everything that makes it to the media, but we can control how we react to the situation. Whether it’s your client, or you, embracing the embarrassing moment and having a laugh with everyone else is a great way to overcome it and show the public that you human like everyone else.

Take a look at the video below!

(Image Courtesy of Blissdom)

As PR pros, we’re always looking for chances to learn new techniques and embrace the changes digital innovation is bringing to our industry. There are many opportunities to attend networking events and listen to industry leaders speak on a variety of communication topics. Here at EDPR, we value the educational aspect of many of the wonderful conferences that occur every year in Toronto, so much so that we thought we would take a minute and share our top picks with you!

Marketing Magazine’s Data Driven Marketing Conference (August 20, 2013)

Providing information for businesses to stay competitive in today’s market. This one-day conference will have you hearing from industry leaders and examining a variety of case studies.

Register here.

Incentive Works 2013 (August 20 + 21)

Does event planning fall under your job duties? For those PR pros who also plan events, there will be workshops available to those who want to learn the newest trends in event planning, improve skills and learn from industry experts.

Register here.

BlissDom Canada 2013 (October 3-5, Mississauga, ON)

Bringing together bloggers, social media specialists, relevant brands and agencies to engage in a conversation on new ways to connect, create and up their game using social media. You’ll be able to catch the EDPR team here for the entirety of the conference – be sure to follow us on Twitter to stay in touch!

Register here.

Public Sector For Social Media 2013 (November 5-6, Ottawa, ON)

Okay, so maybe this doesn’t fall under Toronto, but Ottawa is not too far away! This conference focuses on the rapid growth social media has had over communication in today’s work space. Here, you can use expert advice on how to start, grow and maintain your social media strategy.

Register  here.

Mesh Marketing Conference (November 7, 2013)

meshmarketing is the place to interact with digital marketing thought leaders, connect with peers and prospects, and get a better understanding of the impact new developments are having on your strategy, business and job. Get ready to explore topics such as content marketing, Website optimization, social marketing and digital tools.

Register here.

Leading up to the album’s drop date, Jay-Z, in cooperation with Samsung, released promo videos, creating huge anticipation for the release. This newest trend of creative promotions/marketing is taking the rap music world by storm.

Earlier this summer we saw Kanye West broadcast his  single “New Slaves” on 66 buildings across the globe and now Jay-Z  has created promo videos, which can be seen as advertisements before YouTube videos. The two biggest names in rap have changed the landscape of music advertising.

What do you think of this new mode of advertising? Do you think this is good PR?

There are several brands jumping on the bandwagon hoping to engage consumers with short 30 second videos. Lululemon (as seen in the video posted), Michael Kors and General Electric are among the first brands to participate.

What do you think? Will you be using Insta-Video this weekend?

So what do hashtags mean for you and your business? Well, there will be the usual #Imustfitinasmanyhashtagsaspossible friends you may have to scroll through, but it will also open up new opportunities for businesses to track their products.

With the new Facebook hashtags, businesses can promote a certain hashtag for fans to use when discussing a product and can follow the conversation in a separate pop-up window. Rest assured, if your privacy settings are share with “friends only” than your hashtags will not be shared in the pop-up window.

According to Facebook’s Greg Lindley, there are more features coming, ”Hashtags are just the first step to help people more easily discover what others are saying about a specific topic and participate in public conversations.”

‘We’ll continue to roll out more features in the coming weeks and months, including trending hashtags and deeper insights, that help people discover more of the world’s conversations.”

It looks like Facebook’s hashtags are going to be similar to the way they are used on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest, but with an opportunity to go over the 140 character limit. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement that is the hashtag, but it’s good to be mindful of how many you use and when, whether you are a business or not. A good rule of thumb for businesses are to use the hashtag when it’s relevant and never more than two or three at a time.
Sources;

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2340891/Facebook-introduces-hashtags-following-steps-Twitter-Instagram.html#ixzz2WCofoYnW
http://www.ignitesocialmedia.com/facebook-marketing/facebook-hashtags-for-brands/

It appears that fans were upset (to say the least) at the final episodes of the season, but what we found particularly interesting here at EDPR was the amount of fans outraged at the spoilers! If you couldn’t watch the episode on TV the night it aired, you were forced into utter seclusion from all social media forums, or risk spoiling the episode, which happened to a vast majority of viewers. This is just another example of how social media is a huge part of our daily lives.

Below is a video, courtesy of BuzzFeed, of 12 Signs You Might Be Addicted to a TV Show and the TV show featured is none other than The Game of Thrones. Enjoy!

Each week at Embrace Disruption we introduce you to an influential person in the digital, blogger, arts, culture, film, or media world! Every Thursday, you can check back at EDPR to find out who we think is particularly amazing at ‘embracing disruption’ within their respective industries.

This week, we’d like to introduce you to entrepreneur Ross Simmonds!

What’s your official job title and where did you go to school?

I’m an entrepreneur, digital strategist, content marketer and public speaker depending on the day of the week. I went to Saint Mary’s University in Halifax where I studied marketing.

Elevator pitch. Describe yourself in a nutshell (or sea shell, or any shell for that matter)

I’m a work-hard play-hard entrepreneur who has a passion for marketing, communications, start-ups and trying new things.

I’m the founder of a start-up called dreamr, which creates and delivers fun and social experiences to people looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of work and just get out and let their hair down to do something fun.

At the same time, I work for myself as a marketing consultant helping a wide range of businesses with their ongoing marketing initiatives as it relates to digital, social media and content marketing. I’ve worked with businesses ranging from Fortune 500 companies you have in your cupboards and fridge to start-ups that are being featured in TechCrunch and are called the next big thing.

Why did you pursue what you’re doing now? What was the inspiration?

As a kid I spent the majority of my summers at summer camps and when I got older I became a camp counselor. This triggered my love and passion for getting outdoors and trying new things as much as possible. At the same time, I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit dating back to when I was in high school when I started my first business selling caps out of my locker. From there, my entrepreneurial endeavors continued into University where I started a Fantasy Football blog and sold sports memorabilia on the side. I feel as if these experiences have shaped me as a person and represent my passion for both business and getting out of the office and doing new things.

What is the best part of your day-to-day?
 
As an entrepreneur, I get to meet some amazing people. I get to work with some awesome individuals and get to work on some amazing projects. Overall, I’d say that the people I work with and meet on a regular basis are the best part of my day-to-day. Actually, hmmm… Coffee is also one of the best parts of my day-to-day but I’ll give the people I have a chance to work with a slight edge.

What’s the most challenging?

Saying no is the biggest challenge. I’ve got a lot of things on the go and deep down, I really want to help as many people as possible. The challenge is, there are only so many hours in a day and if I spent all my time helping everyone else and not working on my own projects and for my existing clients; nothing would get done.

If you took a look in the cliché crystal ball, what do you see for yourself?

No idea. I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

How do you embrace disruption in your work and personal life? 

I chase it. I strive to be uncomfortable and help my clients understand the importance of doing things that aren’t in their comfort zone. The reality of it is, when you do things that scare you, great things happen. When you do things that are expected, you get expected better yet, average results.

What is the most memorable moment in your career?

The most memorable moment thus far was when I made the leap from the 9-5 to full time entrepreneurship. I had a great job, great benefits and had some great opportunities ahead of me but I was getting comfortable. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the feeling I had on my last day.

Do you support any initiatives or charities? 

Yes! As I said earlier, I was a camp counselor and a camper as a child. I’m a big supporter of both the Boys & Girls Club and Tim Hortons Children Foundation – I love both of these organizations and what they represent.

Tell us what you see yourself doing at 65 years old.

I want to be that sixty five year old who has a bunch of awesome stories and a few scars or injuries to go along with them. I can see myself at 65 opening a school specialized in 90’s pop culture where kids can learn a few business lessons from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air and personal branding tips from the Rock.

Just for fun: if you had to pick one app in the whole APPVERSE, what would it be?

8Tracks. It’s like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.

Check out Ross Simmonds blog, http://rosssimmonds.com/

If you are new to LinkedIn, you probably know how overwhelming it can be. It’s one of those places where you are scared to make a mistake because really, there are potential employers and head hunters on there you need to impress. Or, if you’ve had LinkedIn for some time now, perhaps you need to beef up your profile with your newly acquired skills.

LinkedIn is a tool that needs to be updated regularly, so you remain relevant. Here are some tips to help you in creating the best LinkedIn profile that fits your style, industry and accurately reflects all that you can do!

1. Job Title (Headline): Whether you are a student, assistant, intern, consultant or CEO, you should accurately state what your present position is, or what you are capable of. It is acceptable to put your job title, example: Public Relations Assistant at (insert organization here). Or you can try a catchy title that will set you apart from others, such as “Social Media Engager”, but make sure you are in fact everything your headline suggests.

2. Summary: This will determine whether a potential employer will continue to scroll down to your resume or not. This summary must show your personality, your achievements, your education background and job experience all in a couple of sentences! What you say in your summary should all be backed up by the rest of your profile.

3. Past Job Experience: Don’t be afraid to showcase your achievements in the workplace. Remember that this profile is showing potential employers what you can do, so don’t be shy! There should be your title, organization and a description of what that job entailed. Keep it brief and to the point. There is a add on for projects completed. This is a perfect chance to showcase your talent.

4. Education: This is an important aspect, because you need the credentials to back up your experience. Some organizations are looking for that formal training, where others are more concerned with your experience. There is a section where you can add your courses, this is a great idea because it shows potential employers what exactly you did to earn your degree, diploma or certificate.

5. Skills: Choosing a select amount of skills that you are FULLY functional with is a good call. This shows your strengths and the value you would bring to an organization. However, this can also be a damaging thing if you select way too many skills, leaving the potential employer feeling unsure if you are aware of exactly what your skills are -no one is perfect!

6. Profile Photo: Undeniably one of the most important aspects of your profile is the photo. This allows the potential employer to see who you are and a glimpse at your personality. Stay away from photos that show too much skin, have other people in the photo, or show alcohol.

7. Recommendations: Don’t be shy in asking a previous employer or coworker to endorse you on your LinkedIn profile. This adds credibility to you, so potential employers know that others agree with what your profile says about you!

8. Engage: By regularly using LinkedIn to discuss articles of interest in your line of work, joining industry groups or charity organizations makes you an industry influencer. And who wouldn’t want to be that?

Last year Smith, while promoting a different movie on The Graham Norton Show, pulled a similar stunt – causing a viral video of Smith singing the Fresh Prince of Bel Air to hit Youtube. However, this time around, Smith pleased the crowd even more by pulling ‘Carlton’ (Alfonso Ribeiro) on stage with him.

This is a great PR move for Smith’s new movie. There are over 100,000 views on YouTube in the first week  it was posted. No doubt, countless more will see it before the movie finishes in theatres. Now this is how to make a viral video!

After deleting his Twitter wall, West left a single tweet announcing his video premiere and a link to his official website. This is a great example of how one can effectively use social media as a PR tool when promoting an event, or in this case, a new album. West is rumored to drop his sixth studio album on June 18.