There’s been a lot of buzz lately about Klout, the newest way to “measure” online influence. Klout tracks all interaction on your social media networks (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more) and assigned you a number from one (basically non-existent) to 100 (basically perfect—Justin Bieber has a perfect Klout score, for example). Klout offers “Perks” and free swag from vendors to those considered to be influential in certain topics, some employers are now hiring based on Klout scores and Klout recently released an iPhone app that allows users to stalk their score on the go. Many scoff at the actual relevancy…
Tag: communication
Life as Improv
I recently attended a great Hoosier PRSA luncheon with the theme of “Improv for PR Professionals.” I signed up initially because I was intrigued. How could improv be directly applied to public relations? Well, it turns out we were schooled in how improv can not only apply to public relations, but to all aspects of our lives. We often go into situations (whether they be work, school, relationships or otherwise) where we might be prepared–to an extent. What goes on beyond past preparation and what can be planned is completely improv. We were shown different ways to embrace these improv situations, and keep…
Say it Like You Mean it
For whatever reason, I’ve been thinking a lot about communication styles lately. Public relations is a field all about communication, messages, and how messages are received. But what happens when the messages are ambiguous? Before I majored in journalism and English as an undergraduate, I majored in communication. It was fascinating learning about all the different ways that people interact with each other. I was particularly interested in interpersonal communication. One of the concepts that stuck in my head was language that had multiple contexts or meanings. For example, you might tell a significant other “I hate it when you…
Sandy McLaughlin 