Category Archives: Life at Anchor

PR/Social Media Internship: What I Learned

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“Love what you do and you will not work a day in your life,” is something I have heard for as long as I can remember, but being told something is much different than actually experiencing it for yourself. As my last week as an intern for Anchor comes to an end, I find myself thinking back to three months ago when I first started this amazing internship. This opportunity has provided me not only with knowledge and experience and relationships that I value, but also has shown me what passion and love for a job actually feels like.

From attending PR events and news segments with shows such as GMT and CW’s Eye Opener, to writing press releases and helping social media campaigns flourish, I have had the opportunity to learn what PR in the real world is all about, not just what a text book or professor says about public relations. I have learned that the key to any PR, marketing, or advertising strategy is to know your audience and how to engage with said audience. I have learned that in order to be successful in this profession you must build personal, mutually beneficial relationships and be the type of person that when people think of you they say, “I can count on [her or him] to be there when I need them.” My boss’s actions showed me how important these qualities are and she receives many opportunities because of her dedication to be readily available, flexible and willing to find other help if she was not able.

I enjoyed coming into work every day knowing that I was going to be greeted by cheerful good mornings, energetic music, people who love working as much as they love laughing, a dog who would do just about anything for a belly rub, and of course the guarantee that if I sneezed, I would receive a thoughtful “bless you!” I was always excited to be at work and was eager to know what the next day had in store for me, what I would learn and get to experience next. I know I am lucky for that. What I take away from my Summer at Anchor is 100% more valuable and relevant than any textbook could teach me.

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The Andy Griffith Show Leadership Model

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With Andy Griffith’s passing this week, I’m reminded of how truly great the Andy Griffith Show was.  Characters in the show were always getting into trouble and Andy Taylor, the sheriff and leader of the town, had the responsibility of teaching people lessons.

Most consistently, Andy was teaching lessons to his right hand man and deputy, Barney Fife (played by the late Don Knotts).  Though Barney was a bit of a klutz to say the least, he thought quite highly of himself and his knowledge of, well, just about everything.  More often than not, Barney would get himself into trouble as a result of his wild ego.  No matter how bad of a situation Barney dug, Andy always had an answer for it.

The variable, however, was that Barney was a very sensitive human being.  His large ego would bruise like a peach if he ever found out he was wrong.   And boy was he stubborn as a mule, too.  So instead of scolding Barney and telling him he was (obviously) wrong, Andy could always find a way of leading him to discovering (on his own) the right answer or showing that he was the hero of the day.  There are just so many episodes of Andy Griffith that contained this plot, but it was different and entertaining every time.

So the Andy Griffith Show really taught us how we can be leaders.  Andy Taylor was never one to take credit from someone else, in fact he was the largest promoter of others.  He believed that people were genuinely good at their core and that with a gentle nudge, help get people on the right track.

Andy never represented the “me too” and “look at me” mentalities that have become so common.  He was selfless, authentic, and respected in the community.  And he always found a good life balance as a single father.

So I encourage you to go watch some Andy Griffith.  Take some tips from one of the greatest leaders on television.  No, he may not have revolutionized the world with his leadership, but he certainly made an impact on the small town of Mayberry.  Just ask Barney, Opie, Aunt Bee, Floyd, Gomer, Goober, Otis, or the others.

Rest in Peace Andy.  And by the way, my grandmother, who was a member of the Davis Sisters, had the opportunity to sing with Andy in the 1950s.  Here is a photo of them waiting in a basement (for hours – great story behind it) prior to going on stage.

Georgia Davis, Davis Sisters with Andy Griffith

Can you remember any great Andy moments?  What was your favorite episode?  Do you recall any episodes that prove my blog wrong?

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What Captain Jack Sparrow Can Teach Us About Public Relations

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“The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can’t do.” – Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Jack wasn’t referring to Public Relations, but this idea easily applies. I recently spoke with a Career Services professional at a local university who was surprised that I do not require applicants in my department to have a related degree.

Why? I have a Bachelor of Arts in German, not Ad / PR. From what I have learned, most universities teach press release templates and that’s about it. They don’t stress the importance of being responsive, creative, helpful, and a good writer. In my opinion, personality beats out experience every day of the week. If I interviewed Applicant A, who has a degree in Public Relations but isn’t personable or a good writer, and Applicant B, a Theatre major with a sparkly personality who happens to be a great writer, Applicant B would get the job, hands down.

We are seeking driven people who understand our brand and have the vision to take Anchor far. Experience and a portfolio certainly won’t hurt, but it’s not the only thing that matters to us. We recognize that spark, that something special in individuals that makes them outstanding creatives. It doesn’t matter what you have done. It matters what you can do. So the question is: What can you do?

Follow me on Twitter! @krwatson

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Pinterest: Not Just a Hobby

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For those of you who have not caught on, Pinterest is a platform through which people can share images and visual content by pinning them to a board that others can then look at and share on their page by ‘repinning’. When my boss first told me that I would be pinning things for our clients, I was a bit shocked and even had to ask her how to use it. Although most people would assume that as a 21-year-old female I would be an expert at Pinterest, I had never used it. The truth is that, like a lot of companies and businesses, I was stuck in my old ways of Facebook and Twitter.

For the past year, I have stereotyped Pinterest as a typical girly pastime, but now that I have had the chance to use it and see what it can do, I think it is necessary for any visual company to have their own account. If a business can not only interact with their clients in a fun and entertaining way and represent their brand uniquely, why not embrace it?

Just like any social media outlet, there is strategy behind what is pinned for a business. Here are some of the tips and tricks that I have figured out:

  • Know what your target audience is pinning and what they are interested in
  • Always source to give photo credit
  • Pin regularly
  • Use detailed descriptions on your images with key words
  • Comment on and like other pins
  • Remember you can create “fresh” content with pictures of your own
  • Ask followers to pin with you on your website and other social media sites too
  • Generate awareness
  • Research what other companies in your field are pinning
  • Include links on pins that lead back to a landing page or your home page

Do you follow any of your favorite businesses on Pinterest? Do you enjoy their pins or not?

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PR from an Intern’s Eyes

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After wrapping up my second week as a PR and Social Media intern for Anchor, I’ve realized something: most people don’t actually know what PR really is.  There are all different perceptions of the world of public relations, ranging from the glamorous life of Samantha Jones on Sex and the City to the basics that they teach us in the classroom.  Coming into my internship, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

I knew I would be assisting with social media and would have the opportunity to attend and assist with other “PR events” that came up, but I honestly did not fully know what that would entail.  I’m sure every future PR intern dreams about living life like Samantha Jones – power lunches, schmoozing with the wealthy and powerful, and attending fabulous parties and events.  This, however, doesn’t seem much like the life of any intern I know.  On the other hand, judging by what I had learned in my marketing and communications classes, my internship would involve writing lots of press releases to a mass audience and making coffee runs.

In these short weeks, I’ve learned a lot.  My job and the world of PR entail a little bit of both of these concepts, but also so much more.  In class, social media is kind of a side note; no one really teaches us how important it is and how to use it effectively.  At Anchor, I have learned that it relates to almost every aspect of PR and marketing.  On top of the importance of social media, I’ve learned the number one rule of public relations: know your audience.  This comes from knowing your brand and how you want the public to perceive it, knowing who would most benefit from your brand, and how to attract them to the brand.  This takes so much more than mass marketing through press releases and self-promoting Facebook and Twitter blasts.  It takes careful research, planning, and most importantly, building personal relationships, which is more than can ever be learned in a classroom or from a TV show.

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A Day in the Life of an Intern

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When I tell people that I am a PR & Social Media intern for Anchor Marketing and Design, I seem to get a few blank stares. What exactly does a social media intern do? Well I’m not sure if this is how it is for everyone, but a day in the life of an intern at Anchor is, let’s say… unique.

In school (I’m a senior in college) we are taught how important social media is for companies, but I never realized how much work and time it took to interact on these sites in a valuable way. Unlike your own personal page where you can post whatever you want, whenever you want, a company’s page has to produce relevant, interesting information in a timely manner without having too much or too little presence. We are also taught that the majority of public relations is writing press releases, but the real key to PR is building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships.

At Anchor, I get to explore and learn the best ways to execute social media and public relations strategies in a laid back, entertaining environment. I help come up with different ways to connect with our clients’ audiences via social media and research content I think would be appropriate for our clients to post via Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. I do all this while I listen to music, play with our office dog Gabby (who loves a good belly rub) and watch my bosses throw it down in a fun game of ping-pong. I receive play-by-plays of important luncheons and dinners while eating a scrumptious cupcake with my boss, attend events that are hosted for or by our clients and get to go on set for news segments!

A lot of internships consist of coffee runs and making copies, but not at Anchor. I am glad I get to learn how to do these beneficial and critical tasks all while enjoying myself and the people I work with.

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How To Get a Job At Anchor

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We’re currently searching for two PR & Social Media interns. After reading an abundance of resumes and cover letters, we’ve decided to share some tips on how to land the job:

1. “LIke” and Follow Us.

We notice. We check. We are more interested to interview candidates who have already been following and supporting our company. This also shows that candidates are up-to-date on Anchor news. This is especially important for potential Social Media team members, as they need to familiarize themselves with the tone of our brand. (Note: It’s also a good idea to keep your profile picture clean.)

how to get a job at anchor

@AnchorMD

2. Use Correct Grammar in Your Cover Letter. Seriously.

It never ceases to amaze us how often this point is ignored. Be sure to use correct punctuation and capitalization. We need to be able to trust our team members with client pages and to do that, we must be able to trust that you are a proficient writer.

3. Connect With Us.

We post about Social Media Club events as well as Fort Worth events, giving local followers plenty of opportunities to network with the Anchor team. Come to events and introduce yourself. We love meeting new people!

4. Be Professional, But Show Your Personality.

We have an upbeat, fun office atmosphere and we plan to keep it that way. Talking negatively about your past employer – or about anything – won’t impress us. We look for creative, positive people who will enhance our work environment. However, we still expect a certain amount of professionalism.

5. Tell Us Why You Want to Work For Anchor.

You’d be surprised how many insert-company-name-here cover letters we receive. The cover letters that stand out are the ones that demonstrate someone’s familiarity with our company. Cover letters should show why the candidate wants to work for Anchor in particular as opposed to admitting they have applied for numerous positions at other companies. Know us, know our brand, tell us how you can contribute, and we just might want to make you part of our team.

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Work Place Injoyification (New Word)

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“You are so lucky to get to work there”

Yep. This phrase might as well be tattooed on my forehead. I have been with Anchor Marketing and Design (at the time of this writing) three weeks and I have had no less than twenty people say this to me. I have heard this from my family, friends, ex-colleagues, and anyone else that has ever known anything about this company. This place is creative, exciting, funny, friendly, and funny. (I know, I said it twice. Leave it. It’s that true)

What makes people so unbelievably jealous of my new position is not really what I do but with whom I do it. You see, these people are amazingly talented and fun. I could list all the great qualities of every co-worker, but then what would I write about on other blog posts? I’ll just keep this a general thought on the group.

It is important that you like the people you work with. How you feel when you walk into a place will, in part, dictate how you perform. You need to love it because sometimes it is hard. I don’t care what you do, it will get hard and the best way to get through it all is to feel crazy awesome about where you work. The people are the deciding factor on how you feel about that place.

I have been told so many times that if you love what you do then you won’t work a day in your life, but that is not true. What you love can be work (try having kids); it is whom you get to do it with that makes the difference. Love who you work with and even the most mundane task becomes “Adventure Time” fun (look it up).

Our meetings at Anchor involve crazy hats, funny glasses, and tons of off-the-wall ideas of which an amazing amount make it through to final projects. We laugh, but most of all, this good natured silliness produces progressive professional marketing. I am amazed that every time the finished work is more than the sum of the people involved, but still reliant on each person’s input.

So, how do you love the people with which you work? You can only really change you so: Respect people. Say “yes”, as much as you can. Support the ideas of others. Don’t care where the credit goes. Be goofy. Be trustworthy. Be the kind of person you want to work with and it will spread like a cold in a kindergarten classroom. Doing this will help make the people around you happier to be there and therefore more easy-going. This will cause them to respond in kind and then you will in turn love the people you work with and it will make your job awesome. See? It is really a selfish thing. Go you!

Maybe it is a bit optimistic to think that everyone will be great to work with. There may be a couple of people who are determined to be “difficult”, but what do you have to lose? “Man! I wish I hadn’t been so nice today!” (If you do think this then you are the “difficult” person and need to do a little soul searching ).

That’s it. Like the people you work with. Be a person that is likable to work with. It makes it all better… and fun… and I am really terrible at finishing blogs, so if you need a summation just go back and reread paragraphs 2 and 3.

Great things being done...

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