Touchpoint has been fortunate to work with really good interns in the past. We’re about to say goodbye to one of the best, so we asked Clay Dunnan, a new College of Charleston grad (who is heading to a full-time job at Garden + Gun magazine, woo hoo!) what qualities make a college internship worthwhile? She writes:

It’s not easy finding the appropriate balance between teaching an intern and giving real responsibility to one; but that’s the ideal.

From personal experience, I know that some internships involve licking envelopes and getting coffee every day. This is not the way to go; it is unfulfilling for both you and the intern. If you want the internship program to be beneficial, you need to be willing to give them some responsibility and room to grow. My internship here involved behind-the-scenes marketing and communication work with clients and partners. Social Media, Excel, creating press releases, pitching press releases, researching, organizing events and meeting with clients are some of the several tasks I have had.

Furthermore, being able to speak up with an idea and actually having it be heard is refreshing for interns. Actually putting my communication skills to work is a huge plus. It is important for employers to help their interns improve their skills as well. Respectful criticism is extremely important when working with someone who is trying to build his or her career. If you change their work, tell an intern why; that’s how they learn and grow.

While criticism is necessary, it should be accompanied by encouragement if you want your intern to be willing to take the initiative in the future and be ready to step out of their comfort zone. It is hard to build the courage to try new things without reassurance; treating your intern with respect rather than as the lowest employee at the company is key. It is inevitable that your intern will end up doing smaller tasks that just need doing; however, as an employer, you should show appreciation for this work in order to see an efficient outcome.

Overall, when hiring a marketing intern, a company should find someone they can give a healthy mix of everyday duties, skill-building tasks, and interactive communication work to. As an intern, I find it to be extremely helpful to be given a variety of assignments and talk to several different clients. This way, I am able to see what I am most interested in, what I like, what I don’t like, and what I need to improve.

I have learned the necessary qualities to succeed in the real world of marketing include being proactive, assertive, outgoing, organized, and ready for anything!”

Farewell Clay and anyone interested in interning should contact info@touchptcom.com!

Every year PR industry leaders publish a list of predictions for the next year. Last year, they predicted graphics, data and apps would be on the rise, which seemed to be the case with infographics filled with data popping up everywhere. Another prediction that came true was PR disasters hitting a record level (e.g BP, Netflix, Penn State, Bank of America).

Now is the time to forecast what will happen in 2012. We have seen social media grow by leaps and bounds over the last several years, so it is no surprise that thinking about social media strategically and measuring the results will become a top communications tactic.

Affect came up with the following predictions:

• Death of the email pitch, rise of the twit pitch.
• Google+ business = success
• Social media gets strategic
• Measurement is a must
• Crises will continue
• Brands become publishers
• CEOs become journalists
• Small is the new big
• Paying to get social
• Scandals, sex and celebs still sell
• 

InkHouse also looked into the PR crystal ball and predicted:

• Infographic Saturation
• PR Skills Move Well Beyond Media Relations
• The Phone Matters…Again.
• Social Chaos Comes into (better) Focus
• The Influence Bubble Deflates
• Content is Critical
• Tech Product Launches Take a Back Seat
• RSS Feeds Lose More Ground.
• Measurement Gets Measured
• Transparency Trumps Spin

What are your top predictions for 2012?

Verde, a new salad-focused, quick service restaurant on King St., decided to celebrate their Grand Opening and participate in the 2nd Annual “Small Business Saturday.” Verde has spearheaded the movement in Charleston and is encouraging holiday shoppers to shop and eat small this Saturday, November 26.

Several local Charleston businesses will join the national Small Business Saturday (SBS) movement, which has support from American Express, Federal Express, the Better Business Bureau and others. Strategically planned between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday encourages shoppers to favor the locally owned businesses that are often the soul of their communities. Now in its second year, organizers credit the effort for helping increase same day sales by 27% in 2010, over 2009.

“At Verde, we are committed to all things green, which includes sustainable shopping,” says owner Jennifer Ferrebee. “What better way to help the local economy than to encourage people to shop small and patronize their locally owned merchants?”

To encourage shoppers to eat local and celebrate its Grand Opening that day, Verde will offer several specially priced “Small Business Salads” for only $5 (regularly priced at $8.95). Guests can also sign up to win one of three Verde gift packs, which each include a $20 Verde certificate and Buy Local Card from Lowcountry Local First. Buy Local Cards will also be available for purchase.

Verde’s owners have recruited other local businesses to join the Small Business Saturday, including:

• Hampden Clothing (314 King St.): 20% off all regularly priced items
• The Vault (307 King St.): 10% discount for locals
• Worthwhile (268 King St.): 20% off clothing, shoes and accessories
• Charleston Mattress (main: 10 Storehouse Row, Mom & Pop-Up Shop: 359 King St.): Free vintage wash tee with purchase of mattress if you mention this deal. $20 value
• Finicky Filly (303 King St.): 30% off jewelry
• Haute Hanger (307 King St.): 10% off all items
• Cupcake (433 King St.): Buy a dozen cupcakes and get 4 tokens to use at a later date (token good for 1 cupcake, $11 value)
• Copper Penny and Copper Penny Shooz (311/313 King St. & Mt. Pleasant Towne Centre)- 10-70% off the entire store
• Thera M. (346 King St.): 20% off regularly priced shoes and sweaters

To find out the latest from businesses participating in the event, visit Small Business Saturday in Charleston Facebook event page.

In addition to driving sales to small businesses, this initiative has customer benefits, like special offers and a $25 one-time credit on shoppers’ American Express statements if a minimum of $25 is spent on the card at participating stores.

Verde, Charleston’s first salad-focused, quick service restaurant, is located at 347 King St. The menu features inventive “signature creations,” and guests can choose to “create their own” salad from over 40, fresh ingredients and 13 house-made dressings. Verde is open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. For more information, call 843-579-2884 or visit www.eatatverde.com. Connect with Verde on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EatAtVerde.

Verde was included in a SBS video on MSN’s Business on Main site, watch it below:

Live 5 News also covered the movement locally, watch that video here.

We have had the pleasure of working with Crisis Ministries over the last few months to promote the groundbreaking for their new shelter. Below you’ll find the official press release about the event and samples of coverage.

COMMUNITY LEADERS BREAK GROUND ON CHARLESTON’S NEW HOMELESS SHELTER;

FACILITY WILL HELP PROMOTE SELF-SUFFICIENCY FOR THOUSANDS OF GUESTS

Community leaders, volunteers and supporters gathered today to break ground on Charleston’s new homeless shelter, a space that will be specifically designed to help homeless men and women achieve self-sufficiency.

Founded in 1984, Crisis Ministries has always operated out of donated, retrofitted space. Each year, 1,200 guests pour through the doors in search of shelter and 200,000 meals are served to guests and area residents.

The new facility is being built adjacent to the existing shelter complex, with completion expected in 18 to 24 months. It will provide 70 emergency shelter beds, 40 transitional Veterans’ beds, a health clinic, dedicated counseling/group meeting space and a new community soup kitchen.

The fundraising goal for the new shelter is $6 million, $4.7 million of which has been raised. Shelter CEO Stacey Denaux cited a number of area families whose generosity was key to such an effective early capital campaign. “Today is a celebration not only of the future, but of the long and wonderful relationships we enjoy with donors,” said Denaux. “Thanks to these families and foundations, Charleston’s reputation for gracious hospitality will extend to those among us who need it most.”

• The Zucker Family has underwritten the new community Soup Kitchen, which will be an efficient and effective workspace for more than 4,000 volunteers to prepare meals 365 days a year.
• A light-filled dining hall will replace the current space, which serves 175 meals a day and doubles as the men’s dormitory.
• The Bakker Family Food Rescue Center will support the shelter’s efforts to procure and store food donated from all over the community. In a typical year, the shelter recovers $600,000 worth of donated food, but often struggles with appropriate storage and preparation space.
• The Harold C. Schott Dormitory will be a dedicated space for men that brings dignity to the individuals sheltered there. Guests will be provided lockers, beds and clean linens.
• Veterans Programs will expand as the shelter grows from 14 to 40 beds dedicated to men who have served our country (female veterans are housed in 10 beds in the Family Center), which was made possible in part by $1.2 million Veterans Administration New Shelter Capital grant.
• The Homeless Health Clinic currently saves local ERs $60,000 worth of care that would otherwise go to homeless individuals. The new clinic will add private exam rooms, a dental room and a nurse’s station. The Roper Saint Francis Physicians Endowment has launched a matching grant program to help underwrite the $500,000 cost of the clinic. If the community raises $300,000 for the clinic, the Roper St. Francis Physician Endowment will grant Crisis Ministries $200,000. Nearly $190,000 out of $300,000 has already been committed in order to receive this grant.

Denaux also noted that the building has been designed with sustainability in mind. Architects with McMillan Pazdan Smith have included energy-conserving HVAC, water and window systems and reclaimed materials. The building is expected to qualify for LEED status as designated by the United States Green Buildings Council.

With today’s groundbreaking ceremony, Crisis Ministries enters the final phase of its effort to raise funds for the building. Community leaders appealed to individuals throughout the community to log onto the “Food Shelter Hope” page at www.foodshelterhope.org and browse among the items needed to equip the shelter. With a simple click, donors can see what their support will help provide.

“For years, Crisis Ministries has been supported through small, yet meaningful, donations,” said Denaux. “We wanted to be sure that members of the community could see the many tangible ways that their support will benefit our guests.”

Check out the video below from Count on 2, and you can also check out this video from ABC News 4. You can also read an account from the Charleston Regional Business Journal about the event.

Additionally, we garnered the following coverage before the groundbreaking:

• Post & Courier architecture story
• Charleston Mercury Letter to the Editor
• Charleston City Paper green building story

Here’s a lesson in crisis management: Don’t blame the victims!

This past September 11^th, the 9/11 Memorial Organization received a failing grade for what should be rule #1 of Crisis Management common sense! When friends and family of victims came out to this year’s memorial services, one family in particular experienced fresh pain and grief when they found their loved one’s name was misspelled. The family of Jeffrey Schreier discovered the typo of a lifetime- Jeffrey’s name was etched as “Jefferey” into the Ground Zero Memorial.

As if the sting of this typo wasn’t enough for the Schreier family to bear, when they reported the error, the organization allegedly initially blamed the family for the misdeed. In the comment section of NBC’s coverage of the incident, a woman identifying herself as Jeffrey’s sister, Janice Hart, claimed that the organization blamed her family for filling out the paperwork incorrectly and didn’t immediately promise to rectify the situation. Although the organization eventually traced the error back to an incorrect database entry (fault of the organization) and is currently looking into a way to fix the spelling, it’s safe to say their handling of the incident lacked…umm, sensitivy?

We hope this organization has learned a thing or two from this PR boo-boo. Maybe from now on they’ll be quicker to investigate and slower to blame.

As PR pros, we are all too familiar with the importance of effective communication. In the same regard, it would be quite the understatement to say we are aware of the ever-evolving modes of communication. In fact, in our line of work we are forced to stay abreast of new communication outlets- a full-time job to say the least! From managing company blogs to posting breaking news on Twitter, we share your pain as we attempt to navigate through a world where what is “new” today is “obsolete” tomorrow.

In a whirlwind of communication practices that is constantly transforming, we’ve found the one thing that stays constant- HOW to communicate. Whether you’re relaying information through a handwritten note or public speech, there are several simple guidelines to effective communication. PR Daily recently posted an article titled, “12 Unexpected Tips for Business Communications” and we thought we’d share what we believe to be the 5 most crucial tips.

1. Guard your attention wisely. Take a look at your daily communication practices. If you’re like us, you tweet, post, upload, ring, comment and webcast 24/7. We live in a world overloaded with information and it’s easy to allow your attention to be carried off with the next batch of data that surges your way. In order to relay and absorb vital information successfully, we suggest you make conscious, wise decisions on what information holds your time and attention.
2. Establish rapport. It’s all about connection! For us this is especially true, we spend the majority of our day establishing relationships. Whether it is a phone call with our clients, emails with local journalists or a blog article for our website, we strive to create bonds through our words. However, the importance of establishing rapport is a must across the board, regardless of your job title. Creating a bond with coworkers, clients or even within personal relationships helps to solve and prevent conflicts.
3. Practice H.O.T communication. That stands for Honest, Open and Two-way communication. Attributed to business writer, Dan Oswald, this approach helps to eliminate and prevent sticky situations. You’ll be surprised to find how much easier establishing relationships can be when you are transparent and forthcoming with others.
4. Recognize the influential power of words. In the words of Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Words—so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.” Remember this the next time you update your Facebook status, send an email or speak with a client. Words are powerful and have an uncanny ability to transcend time and space. With the advent of social media, your words can (and will) leave lasting impressions on people you may never have intended them for.
5. Tap into silent listening. This one is possibly the most difficult to grasp in our day and age. It’s a matter of shutting out the noise of our digital-communication-obsessed culture. Distractions in the form of tweets and emails are relentless. Silent listening means being distraction free and offering your complete attention. So silence your smartphone, shut off your iPad, be in the moment and watch your relationships transform.

Your boss most likely hates them (due to their siren-like abilities to distract even the busiest employee), Dick Cheney loves them and apparently moms can now conjure up creative egg recipes with their help. Can you guess what it is, yet? If not, you’re probably not one of the users who contributed to the 300 million downloads of Angry Birds, or you’re just completely unaware of just how expansive the Angry Birds empire (yes, empire) has become in just two years.

Created by a small Finnish mobile games developer, Rovio, this addicting game is currently the most popular application of the 300,000 apps available for download. However, Rovio developers decided to take their game one step further- well, maybe five steps- heck, they’re full-out sprinting with this idea. Breaking free from their techie roots, Rovio developers have successfully launched a line of Angry Bird plush toys, board games, comics, T-shirts and even a cookbook. Not to mention the upcoming plans for an Angry Birds movie, TV series and educational textbooks. Did I mention that each venture has seen immense success with Rovio’s revenue this year expected to exceed $100 million dollars?

So what’s the story behind the Angry Birds success? How do a bunch of gaming nerds get it right-every time? Peter Vesterbacka, marketing officer of Rovio, chalked it up to strong branding at a Colorado Tech Conference. “If you are a strong brand, if you have a strong following of fans you can do anything,” Vesterbacka maintained. So what makes a brand strong? After examining Angry Bird’s stint of success through the lens of PR professionals we applaud Rovio’s efforts on two counts: storytelling and positioning.

The Angry Birds storyline is ridiculously simple- and therein lies the beauty. We, as consumers, are emotionally invested in the plot because it doesn’t leave us confused and needing answers. We easily identify the evil, greedy green pigs as the enemy while naturally empathizing with the furious and revenge-driven birds seeking to protect their young. If playing the game isn’t enough, Rovio offers an animated short that deepens the storyline and, subconsciously, our emotional attachment.

In terms of positioning, Rovio designers did a pretty darn good job of creating an image that successfully identifies the brand. For strong branding you need a strong identity, and what’s more recognizable than the close-up of a fat, furrow-browed, cross-eyed bird? Browse the list of available apps on your phone and that furious, red bird staring you down grabs your attention every time, right? Positioning also helps with the success of other less-known ventures by Rovio; fans are loyal and identify with other Angry Bird projects.

Whether you’re an avid Angry Birds gamer or not, you have to give it to those techies at Rovio. They’ve managed to turn a simple app into an entertainment franchise. If you ask us, there’s a lot to be learned from this bird-flinging, pig-demolishing iPhone app.

We bought a compact video camera a few months ago to begin shooting video for clients. We’ve covered home tours, events and interviews with our Kodak Pocket Cam.

Below are videos we shot and edited for BANa, a local rehydration drink, and STEALTH Concealment Solutions, a wireless concealment company based in North Charleston.

So the jokes have been funny, the response stinging (and deservedly so) and the fall-out a 24/7 TV festival. But is there anything to say about Weiner-gate that hasn’t already been said? Possibly not. But here’s the takeaway we have, as PR professionals. It was very interesting to see the frozen-in-place reaction that Weiner’s pr staff had when biggovernment.com started reeling out the compromising photos online on Monday. As the compromizing pixels piled up, staffers did nothing, because they didn’t know what to do.

Now Monday morning quarterbacking is super easy (and fun). So it may well be that his staff were ready, but hogtied and prevented from acting. But I’d like to think that, had our team been on the job, we’d have been prepared to respond in some way. Why?

Because there’s one really important service a pr person can play for their client/employer. They can refuse to drink the Kool-aid. And in refusing, they can also allow their minds to imagine the absolute worse, and prepare accordingly. One wonders, then, if the loyalists on the Rep’s team were so trusting of him that they refused to consider a plan that might work, should the unthinkable occur. Which it did.

Every time we write, revise, review a crisis plan, we hope that while we’ll be ready, we’ll never have to implement. Sure, Weiner’s staff hoped they were working for an honest guy. But somebody should have had enough cynicism in them to be ready for anything Brightbart had. Perhaps they were. And perhaps the incredibly compressed timeframes of the social media world prevented any good response.

But it’s always worthwhile for us PR folks to watch these big stories unfold and ask ourselves: what would I do if this were my client? Someday, it just might be!

As a relatively small marketing communications company, Touchpoint manages work flow by partnering up with really great professionals. As a result, we’ve worked with superbly talented, responsive designers, programmers, writers, media planners and others. We learn from everybody, and hope they get something out of it, too (even more than just a paycheck).

Sometimes,though, we’ll run into issues that prevent us from continuing a relationship.On reflection, we can chalk up a few “break ups” to a pretty standard set of practices. Knowing I’ll inevitably leave out something, here’s our list of dealbreakers (what’s yours?):

1. No fire in the belly. Oh sure, this phrase is big now, but we’ve used it for years. And we believe in it. Lacking passion, a professional is, well, lacking. We’d rather field a call from somebody who cares enough to be up in arms about something, than talk to someone who is “meh” 24/7.

2. Exhibits the slightest bit of unethical behavior. This may seem harsh, but if there’s a hint/whiff/shadow of doubt, we’ll cut the cord. Our reputation is defined by what others do when they’re working with us. We associate very carefully. And the minute it feels like something’s just not right, we’re out.

3. More creative than us. Afterall, if we could solve the problem at hand, we’d do it ourselves!

4. Smarter than us. See #3. If we knew how to do it, we’d…

5. Fun. Life is hard. It’s been really hard for the last few years for anybody trying to make a payroll or launch a career. But Debby Downer isn’t who you want to be stuck with in a foxhole. Bring irony, whimsy, an occassional cookie, or even a smattering of good gossip to our relationship, and we’ll all be the better for it.