Meet Our Summer Interns: Brittany Kirvan

Posted on 11. Aug, 2011 by

This summer we have seven new additions to our PMG family! Our interns are special to us, that’s why we want to feature them in our blog. Each week we will add a profile of an intern so you can get a sense of who they are and what they are doing here at PMG. Feel free to ask them questions and leave feedback. These interns are ready and excited to share what they have learned so far!

Editors note: This is the last profile in our series of intern profiles.

 

PMGer: Brittany Kirvan

On Twitter: @brittanykirv

Position at PMG: Intern with PMG associate Elizabeth Hagwood 

Background?  I graduated from Champlain College in May with a B.S. in Mass Communications.  Shortly before graduation I decided that I was going to continue to live in Burlington; it is beautiful up here and Vermont is such a unique place.

I am a huge foodie—and so is Vermont.  One of my goals is to own a restaurant and a bakery.  I have so many ideas surrounding my dream: menus, décor, names, events, mental images, etc.  This venture is far down the road but I have not given up.

Why are you doing this internship? As a recent graduate I need to continue to expand my experiences outside of the classroom.  Studying communications gives you a broad understanding of all of the fields within communications itself.  But that’s just it: a broad understanding.  The best way to learn what any career is like is to dive in headfirst.  That is how I ended up at PMG—I wanted to learn more about public relations and what it is actually like to work in it.

What do you expect to gain from this internship? I have been experiencing what it really means to work in public relations.  There is so much you can learn about from a textbook but it is a whole different story when applying the techniques you read about to real life situations.

What have you learned so far? Oh, the Things I Have Learned:

  • How to create killer media lists
  • Writing pitches that are short, sweet, and attention grabbing
  • Follow-ups are just as (and usually more) important than the initial pitch
  • And much more of course…

Interning at PMG has also taught me that not every “nine-to-five” job is so conventional.  I used to imagine that working a job, Monday to Friday, at the same time every day would drive me insane.  This has proven to be a complete misconception.  Everyone at PMG seems to really enjoy the work they are doing, and, while they are very serious about what they do, they have a lot of fun doing it.

What’s it like working with your mentor? Working with Elizabeth is great!  Among many other things, she has given me some very great tips on how to improve pitches and follow ups to be more eye-catching.  Luckily Elizabeth is a foodie, too; often we are exchanging recipe ideas and helpful tips for the kitchen.

Do you have any tips for future interns on PR, writing press releases, pitches, etc.? Pitches need to be short, sweet, and catchy, but they need to answer the essential questions before they are asked (think who, what, where, when, why!). Also, reread your pitches over and over before sending them out—don’t be afraid to read them out loud to make sure you’re not missing anything.

Don’t be discouraged if you do not get immediate responses from your pitches—you are going to need to send out a round (or four) of follow-ups.  Depending on the timeliness of your pitch you may need to do multiple follow-ups over a few weeks or even over a few months to stay on top of the radar.

Don’t forget to have fun but take your internship seriously!

Meet Our Summer Interns: Thomas Renner

Posted on 11. Aug, 2011 by

This summer we have seven new additions to our PMG family! Our interns are special to us, that’s why we want to feature them in our blog. Each week we will add a profile of an intern so you can get a sense of who they are and what they are doing here at PMG. Feel free to ask them questions and leave feedback. These interns are ready and excited to share what they have learned so far!

PMGer: Thomas Renner

On Twitter: @tarenner

Position at PMG: Intern with PMG associate Kristena Morse

Why are you doing this internship? Half way through my first semester of my freshman year I realized that if I ever was going to conquer the PR world I would need to get some out of school training as soon as possible. Also given the current job market and the fact that you need experience to get any good PR job I thought it would be a perfect time to start building my résumé.

What do you expect to gain from this internship? So far I have already learned so much from my mentor Kristena Morse and from other PMGers. I hope to gain more knowledge about the business, the ins and outs of dealing with clients and the press. I am really hoping that after my time at PMG I will have gained all the experience I am going to need to land an awesome PR job.

What are your views on PMG? I love PMG, I really do, everything that they stand for, the people who work for them, the clients. The atmosphere at PMG is the best I have ever experienced in a place of work. I think the way the firm has decided to specialize in certain areas instead of trying to take on everything has really led to the success of PMG. I love coming into the office to work and actually miss not being there when I am not scheduled! PMG is a great place to intern and work. Being an intern at PMG is just like being a member of the team, and I think that is part of what has made my experience so great, I am actually working on accounts not doing coffee runs!

What’s it like working with your mentor? I love working with my mentor. Kristena has a great personality and always is  very understanding, it also helps that she has some cool clients. I do not believe that my experience at PMG would be the same without my mentor, the direct guidance and information that I receive from her is key to the success that I achieve and my learning path.

Do you have any tips for future interns on PR, writing press releases, pitches, etc.? At first writing a good pitch even a good subject line can be difficult. Even when you think you have written the perfect pitch there still could be something wrong with it. Those are the times when you will end up going back and forth with your mentor to try to fine tune the pitch. Although it may feel like you have not accomplished anything it is all a learning process.

Meet Our Summer Interns: Hilary Greene

Posted on 29. Jul, 2011 by

This summer we have seven new additions to our PMG family! Our interns are special to us, that’s why we want to feature them in our blog. Each week we will add a profile of an intern so you can get a sense of who they are and what they are doing here at PMG. Feel free to ask them questions and leave feedback. These interns are ready and excited to share what they have learned so far!

PMGer: Hilary Greene

On Twitter: @hilaryfay

Position at PMG: Intern with PMG associate Iza Socha

Background? My name is Hilary Greene and I am entering my last semester at Champlain College to attain a business/marketing degree. I am a transfer student and have spent most of my college years in Colorado and Utah enjoying the outdoors.

Why are you doing this internship? I am thrilled to have the opportunity to do my internship at PMG this summer to gain first-hand experience that will compliment my current marketing program at Champlain College, which I will complete in December of this year!

What do you expect to gain from this internship? This internship has already provided me with a better understanding of the public relations world; I have little PR background since I am a marketing major. In addition, this internship has allowed me to witness the power of using social media tools as marketing and PR techniques and the outstanding benefits that they can provide for many different types of companies.

What are your views on PMG? PMG, People Making Good, is a great company and I could not be happier about doing my internship here. Their name, PMG, tells all…they truly are, good people – making good. (They might as well change their name to G-PMG!) As a Vermonter, I appreciate the work that they contribute to the community and genuine support of their clients that are socially responsible.

What have you learned so far? Thus far, I have learned a lot of new things and have been able to apply my education from Champlain in a professional environment. Some exciting projects that I have been involved with at PMG include;

  • Organizing a Tweet-Up
  • Drafting Twitter messaging
  • Writing editorial calendars
  • Editing video footage
  • Writing a variety of blog posts using WordPress
  • And; researching different brands, markets and trends

What’s it like working with your mentor? My mentor, Iza Socha, is fantastic and is the Social Media Manager at PMG. She is very talented and open to sharing new concepts with me; she knows all the new trends! It is really fun working with her and she guides me in the right direction to complete finished work that both of us are proud of.

Do you have any tips for future interns on PR, writing press releases, pitches, etc.? My advice for any intern would be to be fully appreciative of the opportunity and learn as much as you can! It helps to stay knowledgeable about new trends because these days, it seems like techniques and applications change and improve constantly.

Meet Our Team: Kristena Morse

Posted on 21. Jul, 2011 by

Over the next few weeks months, we will profile each PMGer to give you a better sense of the firm and those behind our social media channels and working on behalf of our great clients. We encourage you to start a dialogue through the comments section if you have additional questions for our do-gooders.

PMGer: Kristena Morse
On Twitter: @kristenamorse
Position at PMG: account executive

Favorite Music? I’d like to think that I’m pretty open-minded when it comes to music, so my music collection is always growing and changing. I love everything from jazz and blues to hip hop and R&B. About the only thing you won’t find much of in my collection is country (although I will admit I went through a brief country phase in high school). Some of my most-played albums lately include Ray LaMontagne, Coheed & Cambria, Jonny Lang, Dashboard Confessional and a variety of mixed albums that my sister made for me. :)

Favorite TV? Some of my favorite shows include Modern Family, So You Think You Can Dance, and almost anything on the Food Network (I love to cook!) or The Discovery Channel. If I’m not watching any of those or if I’m not tuned in to the news, there’s a good chance you’ll find me watching some sports game or catching up on highlights via SportsCenter. :)

Favorite Teams/Sports? Oh, I’m a sports nut! As a huge baseball fan and Michigan native, my heart will always belong to my Detroit Tigers. Other than baseball, I love college basketball (March Madness is one of my favorite times of the year!) and college football.

Favorite Foods? I definitely don’t have a favorite. I love to eat… and I love trying new foods. Burlington has an awesome variety of restaurants and it seems there’s always a new one to try!

Favorite Quote? “Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” — Benjamin Spock

A favorite websites: Pandora and/or Grooveshark get me through the day. Other sites I visit daily are: The New York Times, CNN, Washington Post and Burlington Free Press. I’ve also got about a dozen PR blogs that I skim through each day. Some of my favorites include: PR Squared, Social Media Explorer, prTini, PR at Sunrise and PR Breakfast Club.

Five Years… and counting.

Posted on 20. Jul, 2011 by

Today marks five years of PMG’s existence in its current form – meaning today is the day when Ken and I signed partnership papers to merge our two consulting firms: PMG and Ravlin & Associates. It’s flown by.

I have learned a lot over the past five years co-owning a business. I often, jokingly, refer to PMG as my third child as it feels like raising a kid at times. Here’s a few nuggets of advice that I offer to anyone looking to venture off on their own or head into a business partnership:

  • Select a field or specialty that you LOVE and are committed to – and then specialize. It makes some of the harder times easier. We chose social responsibility as our niche because Ken and I both felt strongly about working with companies that shared our similar values.
  • Keep in mind that it is just business. No matter business partner or client – everyone is bound to not see eye-to-eye all the time. People will argue for what they think is the best course. Be respectful, listen, consider the other point of view and learn to articulate your own. At the end of the day, you are dealing with people you like. It is just business. Make the decisions you need to, and above all, do the right thing (cliche, I know).
  • Know what you do not know and then hire vendors. This is one of the most important things that we learned, I think. Hire a bookkeeper, a tax accountant, and an attorney. Their services do not cost much and the return is well worth it. Hey, we’re publicists and marketers – not accountants… leave each respective task to the respected pro! It took us a few years to actually realize this, and in hindsight I wish we did it sooner!
  • Take time off. I struggle with this still, but getting away from the office and the day-to-day is important so that you can have perspective. I am thankful for having a business partner for this as I check email and call in less frequently when I do pry myself away from the office.
  • Network. Sure, this seems obvious, but so many people are afraid to network. Talk to everyone and anyone. LISTEN to them and then ask them for advice or recommendations on who else you should meet.
  • Do not be afraid to ask for the business. Again, Duh! But seriously, if you master the networking part and never ask for the business – you’ll have a lot of good, new friends but your efforts will be lost. I was recently on a client trip and one of the guests, Gary Chartrand and I discussed his new book Un Reasonable Leadership and in chapter (or step) five Gary refers to an Unreasonable Imperative: Never Be Afraid to Ask”.  Read the book (I did) and you will learn a lot – but this lesson, I think, is the lesson that matters in growing your business.

Lastly, I want to say THANK YOU. Thank you, Ken: for putting up with my crazy ideas and listening to them like you were taking me seriously. Some of them actually worked! ;) I am happy to say we have only gotten in a handful of yelling matches in this time. Thank you to all of the associates past and present who have helped make PMG what it has become today. Without your work and dedication there would be no PMG. Thank you to all of our past and present clients. We are honored that you have selected to work with us, grow with us and be great partners. And last, but not least – thank you to my family – who have sacrificed A LOT, especially Bryan who has been the single dad while I am traveling to meetings, trade shows, client TV appearances and more. I am eternally grateful.

Here’s to the past five years… and now, on to the next ten!

Meet Our Summer Interns: Heather Barrett

Posted on 15. Jul, 2011 by

This summer we have seven new additions to our PMG family! Our interns are special to us, that’s why we want to feature them in our blog. Each week we will add a profile of an intern so you can get a sense of who they are and what they are doing here at PMG. Feel free to ask them questions and leave feedback. These interns are ready and excited to share what they have learned so far!

 

PMGer: Heather Barrett

On Twitter: @hbarrettsays

Position at PMG: Intern with PMG associate Tom Kupfer

Background? My name is Heather.  I am a Mass Communications major entering my last semester at Champlain College.

Why are you doing this internship? As a Mass Communication student, I have taken a variety of courses in marketing, advertising, and public relations.  These courses have provided me with the base knowledge in each section, but I found myself wanting a hands-on experience.  With an internship, I knew that I would learn more than I ever could in a classroom, and that the knowledge would be invaluable.

What do you expect to gain from this internship? From this experience, I expect to learn more about working for a public relations agency.  Working for more than one client, I expect to learn a variety of tools to better fine tune public relations to work for each individual company.  In addition, I expect to improve my writing skills.

What are your views on PMG? I was first attracted to PMG because they are devoted to working with socially responsible clients.  I also read the Q&A with Nicole and Ken before I applied, and I thought that my personal interests would connect with PMG.  After starting my internship in June, my impressions of PMG proved to be true.  PMGer’s are all extremely hard-working people who have a passion for public relations. I also really like having an office dog ☺.

What’s it like working with your mentor? At PMG part of the internship experience is to work hands on.  So, instead of fetching coffee for Tom, I have been able to create media lists, write pitches, and follow up directly with media outlets.  Tom always has a clear vision as to what needs to be completed, and is willing to provide valuable feedback.

Do you have any tips for future interns on PR, writing press releases, pitches, etc.?

  • Always work hard and do your best.
  • Remember that writing is a skill that takes a lot of practice.  A first draft will need to be edited, so be open to feedback!
  • Your mentors are busy, so it may seem intimidating to ask them for help, but don’t be afraid.  That’s what they’re here for! Pester away.

Meet Our Summer Interns: Selma Basic

Posted on 06. Jul, 2011 by

Meet Our Summer Interns: Selma Basic

This summer we have seven new additions to our PMG family! Our interns are special to us, that’s why we want to feature them in our blog. Each week we will add a profile of an intern so you can get a sense of who they are and what they are doing here at PMG. Feel free to ask them questions and leave feedback. These interns are ready and excited to share what they have learned so far!

PMGer: Selma Basic
On Twitter: @Selmander89
Position at PMG: Intern with PMG co-founder Nicole Ravlin

Background? My name is Selma Basic. I am a senior at the New England School of Communications (NESCom), located in beautiful Bangor, Maine. I am working on my Bachelors degree in communications with a concentration in Marketing. I chose the communications field because I get a chance to exercise many different aspects of the field, such as: advertising, marketing, public relations, graphic design, photography,  and video production – over the years at Nescom I have gained skills in all these fields. When I was asked to intern at PMG I was excited to be granted with an opportunity to increase my knowledge of public relations.

Why are you doing this internship? Last semester I joined the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), this organizations has really sparked my interested in the public relations field. Hence why I’m here! PMG is the hands on experience I’ve been looking for. From day one I dove right into writing press releases and doing media lists. PMG is giving me the opportunity to challenge myself and put my skills to the test! This is no internship where you run around fetching coffee and donuts for your boss… At PMG you do real work for real clients!

What do you expect to gain from this internship? By doing this internship I am gaining a variety of skills in public relations, which will help me continue to do well in PRSSA and eventually my career.  Is public relations the job for me? That’s what I’m here for to find out! I definitely have a passion for writing and PR is something I’ve always wanted to give a try.

What are your views on PMG? PMG stands for People Making Good, which is the first reason I wanted to know more about this firm. I like and respect the philosophy of helping promote healthy brands. PMG is an exceptionally comfortable environment where I feel free to be myself and express my skills. PMG is doing good things for good companies and I want to be a part of that.

What’s it like working with your mentor? Here at PMG I am surrounded by wonderful people. My mentor, Nicole Ravlin, being one of them. Nicole is super friendly, outgoing and most importantly, has a sense of humor. What’s a workplace when it’s strictly business 24/7? It’s no fun! Here at PMG we get our work done but we also know how to relax and enjoy ourselves; I personally find that extremely important in a work environment. As for working with Nicole, it’s great to have a mentor help you out! She always makes sure I know exactly what to do, she gives me some great advice on how to improve my work and she lets me enjoy some variety in the tasks I do.

Do you have any tips for future interns on PR, writing press releases, pitches, etc.? Future interns! If you are looking for an internship in public relations and you are within the Burlington area, I would definitely recommend PMG. So far I have written press releases, pitches, done plenty of media lists and am currently working on social media. Be aware that PR requires a little bit of everything I just mentioned. So prepare yourself to do some multitasking and lots of different projects. DON’T be afraid to ask your mentor for help! that’s what they’re here for. Also, remember to always revise your work. Make sure at least three pairs of eyes read your work before you send it out to a client. And last but not least, enjoy your internship! you are learning from people who are doing what you want to do in the future, there is no better way of learning than by following the footsteps of your mentor. Take all the mental notes you can, practice your writing skills, observe, listen, and always give your best!

Will You Be My Friend?

Posted on 28. Jun, 2011 by

I’m stuck not knowing what to do, here. On an almost daily basis I am getting friend requests from people I have not met before – or, at least I don’t think I have. You see, I do a lot of public speaking, guest lectures at colleges, and attend many networking events. I blog, tweet, and publish my writing whenever I can. So, one might say I am a pretty public person. Though I would not consider myself a “public figure”.

Here’s the issue: with all of these new found “friends”, who I will enjoy getting to know and network with, how do I manage my privacy? I have a family and friends who I share information with about life, post pictures, etc. that I do not necessarily want to share with the general public.

At first, I was managing this well. I only used Facebook for actual friends and drove all professional contacts to LinkedIn. Then I started confirming friend requests of associates, clients and people I met at trade shows and events. I created groups and went through and tagged each person (a tedious task), and then set permissions. This worked… for awhile. I found that this could be a cumbersome process and made me evaluate each and every person. I had (or still have) too many categories or buckets to qualify people into and they are starting to become too mixed.

Some people manage their social media connections with the “accept everyone” mentality. That is just not for me. Others have set parameters for the various tools, similar to how I was managing Facebook and LinkedIn previously. Scott Monty, head of social media for Ford Motor Company, has done this on LinkedIn stating he will only accept connections who he has personally met. Given how LinkedIn works, this is a good idea. After all if you accept someone into your circle, they can network with your other connections. Spelling it out in your profile is a great idea. Scott has also established a Facebook profile and a public figure Facebook page for himself.

By no means do I have Scott’s following or have I achieved any sort of celebrity, but I think he’s on to something here.

So, I’m going to organize my social presence as follows:

  • Facebook personal page: a place where I communicate with friends and family and share my non business life
  • Facebook public figure page: a place where I share my business life, stories, failures, successes, and engage with people I connect with professionally. Family pictures and stories will be spared from this page
  • LinkedIn: a place where I network with people that I have met and would be happy to make connections with and for

And then the dozens of other channels will remain open as they have been.

How do you manage your online profiles? Any tricks or tips you can share?

 

 

 

Meet Our Team: Alicia DeMartini

Posted on 25. Jan, 2011 by

Over the next few weeks, we will profile each PMGer to give you a better sense of the firm and those behind our social media channels and working on behalf of our great clients. We encourage you to start a dialogue through the comments section if you have additional questions for our do-gooders.

PMGer: Alicia DeMartini
On Twitter: @aliciademartini
Position at PMG: account executive

Best thing about living in BTV? Since I’ve moved here, I eat about 5 different types of cuisine I never would have tried otherwise – Burlington has some of the greatest restaurants I’ve ever been to, and the best thing is, there’s always a new one to try. (Oh, and I like the lake, too. :)

Favorite Music? Lately I’m really into Ingrid Michaelson, Ray Lamontagne, Johnny Cash, Girl Talk… It’s always a mixed bag.

Favorite Thing About Working at PMG? When you combine a client list full of unique, socially responsible companies with an incredibly creative, open work environment, you get PMG – and that results in a great team with a work ethic I continue to be impressed by each day. I never stop learning, and every day is different!

Favorite Teams/Sports? It’s well known in the office that I’m the resident Yankees fan. Though I’ve lived in Vermont for five years now and have found myself slowly being turned on to several New England sports teams, I’ll always remain a New York (state)-er and a Yankees fan for life.

Favorite Quote? “Trust the instinct until the end, though it may render no reason.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson. This quote continues to ring true through many different phases of my life.

List a few of your favorite websites… Pandora gets me through the day… I love GOOD for news about unique companies and good works all over the world… and

Meet Our Team: Elizabeth Hagwood

Posted on 27. Dec, 2010 by

Over the next few weeks, we will profile each PMGer to give you a better sense of the firm and those behind our social media channels and working on behalf of our great clients. We encourage you to start a dialogue through the comments section if you have additional questions for our do-gooders.

PMGer: Elizabeth Hagwood
On Twitter: @vt_emh
Position at PMG: account executive

Hobbies/Interests? I’m currently training for my first marathon, so I suppose running is now a hobby. This is my first full winter being settled in Vermont, so I’m really looking forward to finally exploring the mountains (skiing, hiking, attempting to ride, etc.). In the summer, you can’t beat being on the lake – preferably with a paddle of sorts or my dog’s leash in hand.

Favorite Teams/Sports? I grew up a Hokie, so my favorite team to watch is Hokie Football. Lane Stadium is consistently ranked to have the best home field advantage, so it makes for a good game. In college I also rowed, so that would have to be my favorite sport. The clicking of the oar locks, the adrenaline during races, (being able to eat whatever you’d like), and being on glassy water when the sun rises definitely trump blisters, 5am practices and a constant muscle soreness.

Favorite Foods? I love anything with bright, fresh flavors, such as Mexican or Thai, but I also love southern comfort food – the dishes where you’re not allowed to count calories, like fried chicken, BBQ (Eastern NC style, of course), biscuits and sweet tea. I love to cook too, but lately I’ve thrown recipes out the window and create my own.

Favorite Thing About Working at PMG? We’re a tight-knit bunch without the drama and politics of working in a large firm. And we have an office dog!

Best thing about living in BTV? I live three blocks from work (and the lake) and two blocks from Church Street, so the question of “Would you rather live where you work or where you play?” is something that never crosses my mind.

List a few of your favorite websites…
Hmm… In non-work-related websites, probably www.postsecret.com and www.epicurious.com.

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