The Power of Social Media

Social Media is a powerful tool. It is helping bring people together in both times of happiness and sadness. A recent example of social media’s power is the Facebook page created by Jacob Kimerer, 17, from Edmonds Woodway High School called “In the Memory of The Lakewood Officers.” The page mourns the death of the four Lakewood officers that were tragically shot and killed at Forza coffee shop on Sunday, November 29, 2009.

The day following the tragedy, I continuously monitored the Facebook page and read the Seattle Times article about Jacob. I thought it would be interesting to hear directly from Jacob about what drove him to create the page and his views on social media and its effect on the people who use it.

When I interviewed Jacob on December 3 the page had over 162,000 members, and it has grown steadily since then. As of this blog post, there are 262,953 members. Equipped with over 1,600 photos, 1,400 links, 13 videos and 10 events, the page is a rich information resource center that gives Northwest residents as well as distant family and friends the opportunity to interact, share and grieve together.

Below is the short conversation I had with Jacob.

Do you think social media will help law enforcement officers with their jobs in the future?
“Social media could very well help law enforcement with their jobs. Officers need to start using social media now so they can post new information online rather than just through e-mails.”

What other social media experience do you have? What other sites do you use besides Facebook?
“I just use Facebook right now. I stay away from Twitter because it seems like more work than having a Facebook page. I like Facebook because you can do more than just status updates.

Was creating the Facebook page your idea? Did you think it would be this successful?
“The Facebook page was my idea. I never thought it was going to be this popular. I’m amazed on how big it has grown in such little time."

There are a few other groups that are similar to yours but they don’t have as many members. Why do you think yours has been the most popular?
“I must have just started my page first, or targeted it to the right people. The page is so popular because people need a place where they can share stories, grieve and show their support for the fallen officers and their families and friends. The page allows people to come together."

The page’s success is phenomenal and what Jacob did was a great thing. His page gives everyone connected with this tragedy an outlet to express their feelings and show support for the families affected. If you haven’t become a fan of the Facebook page please do so by going here or searching for it on Facebook. I’m sure we will be seeing much more from Jacob in the social media realm in the future.

Creating Currents: Surfing the Waves of Change

My highlight of the season was attending the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) National Conference. The five-day annual event was held November 6-10 in sunny San Diego, Calif. – home of the gas lamp district and the ever-famous San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park.

This year’s conference was hosted by the PRSSA chapter at California State University Fullerton, the PRSSA 2009 National Committee (made up of seven PRSSA members from across the nation), and the PRSA San Diego chapter. Over 1,000 students and PRSSA members from across the U.S. were present at the event, as well as one student from the PRSSA chapter at the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (U.A.D.E.).

The conference is designed to prepare public relations students for a successful career. It offers chapter development sessions presented by fellow PRSSA members in different schools across the country, leadership sessions for chapter board members and members interested in future leadership roles, and numerous professional development sessions where students have the opportunity to hear from and network with successful PR professionals.

Below are a few of my favorite sessions.

“View from the Top: How Young Talent Can Stand Out” Ron Cult, Partner, Director, North America Corporate Practice at Ketchum Kevin Saghy, Account Executive at Ketchum

Ron and Kevin talked with numerous junior PR and senior PR professionals all over the U.S. and asked questions related to success in the workplace and their own personal experiences. It was a unique presentation that was relevant to all members in attendance.

“Diving into Diversity” Sonia Sroka, APR, Vice Present, Hispanic Marketing at Porter Novelli Travis Parman, APR, Director, Public Relations, GMAC Financial Services and Ally Bank

Sonia and Travis talked about their work specializing in Hispanic and LGBT communities and the importance of correctly reaching out to different diversity segments.

Three important things (“The Three Ins”) to do when targeting diversity groups:

1. In-culture: Research the particular culture and its values

2. In-language: Understand the language – it’s not about translation but “transcreation”
3. In-person: Establish a personal relationship with people in the diversity segment

Sonia and Travis left conference attendees with these wise words: “Exclusion is always dangerous,” and “Great minds DON’T think alike.”

The most valuable experience at the conference this year was meeting with members from the Puget Sound PRSA chapter. Students from the Washington State chapter, Central Washington University chapter and those of us from the University of Washington chapter met with local Puget Sound PR pros who were also attending the conference. The event, a casual meet-and-greet over appetizers, was a great way to meet professionals in our area and share conference stories.
* Check out the photo of Bob and me.

This year’s conference was a huge success. I met some influential PR pros, gained more PRSSA contacts/twitter followers and momentarily escaped from the western Washington rain. Next year’s national conference is in Washington, D.C. I wish I could go again!

-Amy Graham

Sharing the Wealth of Knowledge

A year and a half ago I would have never imagined I would be sitting on the other side of the table at an esteemed PR agency talking to fellow UW undergrads. It’s not everyday that you get to speak “office talk” with your peers.

Last Thursday students enrolled in Professor Kathleen Fearn-Banks' public relations and society class at the University of Washington came to visit Frause. The class teaches students interested in pursuing a career in PR of its history, ethics and practices. The class visits a different PR agency, corporate office and non-profit in the Seattle area and prepares presentations on what they learned in each sector. For weeks I was looking forward to the arrival of the UW students because I completed the same class two summers ago. I had the great opportunity to help conduct the informational meeting with Bob, chairman and CEO of Frause and Richard, senior vice president.

The meeting was great! Together we explained what Frause is and what we do and provided information about the internship opportunities that are offered. It was my responsibility to elaborate on my experience at Frause as the intern. I gave detailed descriptions of my scope of work and responsibilities and told the students what I have learned while working here so far. The students were also able to hear great insights on how to excel in the PR world from Bob and learned a lot about Frause’s client work from Richard.

A big thanks to the UW group for coming out to Frause. You guys had great questions and were a pleasure to talk with. I hope you learned something about PR from us at Frause. Good luck with your future internships and jobs. I hope to see you all as fellow PR professionals in the near future!

GO DAWGS! ;)

Making the World a Greener Place, One Neighborhood at a Time

Last week, I volunteered to help at the City of Redmond’s last of three Natural Yard Care workshops.

King County’s Natural Yard Care Neighborhoods program has been a client of Frause for eleven years. The Natural Yard Care program is a regional, community-based social marketing outreach program that promotes behavior changes in home yard care.

Community-based social marketing is a communications tactic that demonstrates that behavior change is most effectively achieved through direct initiatives delivered at the community level. Frause has been regarded as leader in community-based social marketing in the greater Seattle area.

The program provides people with five steps they can do to become more eco-friendly while building beautiful, healthy yards and gardens. The five steps are: build healthy soil, plant right for your site, practice smart watering, think twice before using pesticides and practice natural lawn care. The Natural Yard Care program is implemented twice a year, in fall and spring, in different neighborhoods around the King County area. This past spring, Auburn, Burien, Kirkland, Bellevue and four different neighborhoods in Seattle all hosted the three-workshop series. Federal Way, Kent and Redmond just finished up with their fall sessions a couple weeks ago.

For each neighborhood, the Natural Yard Care team at Frause works to package the educational materials for all sessions, create and distribute home mailings for recruitment of workshop participants, and coordinate door-to-door workshop promotion and recruitment efforts. To date, Frause and King County have managed over 200 Natural Yard Care workshops and more than 5,000 participants.

The workshop in Redmond was held at Norman Rockwell Elementary School from 7 to 9 p.m. last Tuesday night. At the event I worked with representatives from the City of Redmond, to set up for the event by providing the written materials, bringing snacks and refreshments, setting up the venue and signing people in. It was an awesome opportunity to meet some of the Redmond residents and experience their enthusiasm for the workshops and witness their appreciation for knowledge they received during the sessions. Numerous workshop participants praised the content and speakers and were encouraged to start making the necessary behavior changes needed for a greener neighborhood.

Redmond averaged over 100 people in attendance at all three events and now holds the record among all other participating neighborhoods for the most people at a single workshop, 117!

The Redmond event was a huge success and I gained tons of valuable information on how to build and maintain a green and beautiful lawn and garden. Now if only I had a yard…

-Amy Graham

Back in Action

Hola Amigos! I am back at the intern desk here at Frause after a month’s adventure in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The trip was a dream come true. The University of Washington program was structured so that all students were able pick what part of the Argentinean culture they wanted to study. Some focused on wine, art or food and others focused on public health, the economy or class identification. I decided to study public relations.

With the help of UW’s study abroad program we met students from the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (UADE), one of the few private universities located in the heart of Buenos Aires. UADE has an elaborate PR program and just recently celebrated the one year anniversary of its Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). UADE PRSSA is the first and only international PRSSA.

It was an amazing opportunity for me to meet international PR students and to learn about PR in their country and specifically in their educational system. One of the PRSSA executive board members and I became quite close while I was there. From her, I learned about UADE’s PRSSA, its PR educational programs and its efforts to help students obtain internships and entry level jobs after college. We exchanged information about the classes we have taken and our internship experiences.

Learning about international PR and building some solid relationships in Argentina was the experience of a lifetime. I gained insights that will no doubt advance my future career in public relations.

Buenos Aires was an unforgettable trip but it’s good to be back at Frause amongst the lime green walls and smiling faces! I missed a busy month of new client additions and numerous accolades and I’m excited to get back in the swing of things. It’s going to be another great three months here at Frause!

-Amy Graham

Whidbey Island BBQ

Last weekend, Frause employees and their family got together for a barbecue bash on Whidbey Island. Frause CEO and Whidbey resident Bob Frause, and his wife Sue, opened up their home to Frause employees for some fun in the sun on Saturday afternoon.

The Whidbey Island getaway is a summer tradition and one of the most highly anticipated Frause events of the year! E-mails were sent over the server for weeks as Frausties announced detailed descriptions of the scrumptious food they were bringing.

The day was spent savoring the sunny Northwest weather and indulging in the good eats. The potluck was a delicious success, including of course, the basic barbecue necessities (meat, beer and wine), and the plentiful popsicles and soda for the kids. The highlight of the day was definitely the Frause softball game. Man do we have some athletes at Frause!

The day trip was the perfect escape from city life and was a great way for Frause employees to spend some quality time together. Thanks to Bob and Sue for opening up their home and hosting an awesome party. I have already heard talk for next year’s barbecue extravaganza!

-Amy Graham

Goodbye!

I remember my Frause interview like it was yesterday. I was on the tail-end of my spring break vacation and had just received a call from Nathan Hambley. He wanted me to show up at the Frause office at 8:00 a.m. sharp.

I was looking a little scraggly then, coming off of a two-week road trip around the American West that covered over 2,500 miles. I managed to squeeze in a haircut (more of a shearing really) before the interview and borrowed my girlfriend’s dad’s tie to look as sharp as possible. At 7:45 a.m. I pressed the up button on the 1411 4th Ave. building elevator and crossed my fingers.

A few weeks later I got the call I had so desperately been waiting for. I landed an internship at one of the coolest firms in Seattle, right downtown in the heart of the action. The experience has been exceptional ever since.

My internship here has been a crash course in public relations. I have been involved directly in projects, strategic planning, client outreach, and portfolio building. I have participated in board room meetings and have toured the offices of magazine publishers. I have also written press releases, communicated with editorial departments and have even had the privilege to see some of the projects I was involved with, like the Skanska UW Scholars program, transform from start to finish.

So I want to take this moment to thank everyone for such a great internship experience and a stepping stone in my professional life. In the fall I am off to St Andrews in Scotland and then back to Whitman to finish my senior year of college. I’m still floating around in the “I have no idea what I want to do with my life” category, but my internship here has given me some much needed guidance and insight into the fast-paced world of business communications and public relations.

Until we meet again Frause, it has been a blast, and as they say in Scottish Gaelic, “Mar sin leibh!” (So long for now).

-Mike Scigliano

Client Party Brings Roof-Top Success

This last weekend was a busy but fun time for the Frause bunch. On Thursday we hosted our very own client party atop Touchstone’s very new and impressive West 8th property. I was excited to attend the successful event which included food (the ribs!), drinks, music and a whole lot of networking.

Despite the record setting heat (upwards of 100 degrees), the temperatures could not keep nearly 150 people from attending our popular roof-top party. Beer glasses were filled and business cards were dispersed against the dramatic backdrop of the Seattle skyline.

The event was also a great way for unfamiliar faces to become familiar. Our clients had the unique opportunity to meet each other one-on-one and broaden our inter-client relationships. Amy (our other beloved intern) also brought along a gaggle of PRSSA students who had the chance to experience professional networking first-hand.

Even though the summer air felt more like Phoenix than Seattle, the event was a huge success and a highlight of the PR social calendar.

-Mike Scigliano

Piecing Together the Puzzle

When I started taking classes at the University of Washington, I had the high expectation that college would teach me everything I needed to know to become successful in the working world. I thought I would take a few classes, get a couple A’s under my belt and obtain a real world job with just a snap of my fingers. Little did I know that college was only one small piece needed to complete the large working world puzzle.

As my college career nears to a close, I have realized that many other experiences, besides receiving a college degree, have helped me get on the right track toward my future career. I am surprised to say that if it was just college alone, I wouldn’t be as prepared for real life as I am today. I love my school and I am leaving it more knowledgeable than when I first came in- thankfully. But I do wish UW could have prepared me a little more in my specific field of study.

Public relations students at UW are at a slight disadvantage in their education because UW cut its PR program a few years back. With only a few PR classes and one PR professor to learn from, understanding the tools, tactics and best practices of the PR trade can be quite challenging.
Luckily, with the help of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), UW students still have a chance to piece together the job market puzzle. PRSSA and PRSA provide tools and resources to students and help them find internships, meet PR pros and connect with other Washington State PR students. It’s PRSSA members and PRSA pros that have helped me get my hands on some great internships (Frause), in turn giving me a front row seat in the PR world.

UW gave me a great education, but a big thanks goes out to my fellow PRSSA students for their friendship and support and to PR professionals in Puget Sound PRSA for investing their time and effort into providing me and other PR students with real public relations experience. My experiences with PRSSA and PRSA really opened doors to the job world. Thanks to them I might soon be ready to tackle the working world!

-Amy Graham

Twitter Has Staying Power

The social networking service Twitter was a rather new thing to me when I started interning here at Frause. Unlike Facebook (which everyone, including my professors has) none of my friends at college have a Twitter account.

Yet despite this, Twitter is all the rage in the increasingly changing world of media relations and business. The spring issue of The Public Relations Strategist is dedicated entirely to social media, and there is a very interesting article about the role of networking sites either helping or hindering good business communications.

Despite the extreme popularity of Twitter, I’m surprised how many businesses continue to cling to the old guard of less progressive media communications. Certain companies outright ban networking sites like Twitter and Facebook and place restrictive media formats on internal email accounts.

Other companies have opted for an entirely different approach, creating their very own social media services independent of the larger, more established services. But are these actions serving to harm or help business communications?

Mark Kolier, a blogger on social media and president of Canterbury Graphics Strategic Marketing insists that, “social networking is what’s coming, and it’s what people want.” Long term studies conducted by the Public Relations Student Society of America also underscore a growing sentiment, that social networking sites are here to stay and are changing the way we communicate during the workday.

Whether or not this trend reaches higher education, it is certainly prevalent in business, and is an increasingly important tool in media relations, business communications and smart business practices.

-Mike Scigliano

Making Seattle a Better Place

Last Thursday, Frause held a meet and greet event for Frause friends, clients and community leaders in support of Jessie Israel. Jessie, a third-generation Seattleite, is running for Seattle City Council, Position 6, and is a friend of the Frause team.

It was an awesome experience attending the event. I had met Jessie another time about a month ago, when she visited Frause to talk about her positions, but it was a different experience hearing her speak to a crowd. Jessie’s dedication to our city and its residents was evident in her short address last Thursday, as well as her drive to get things done while moving steadily toward the future. Her understanding of the issues facing our city and the greater region and her passion for change were both refreshing and reassuring in our city’s current state of environmental and economic troubles.

It was great for Frause to show its support for Jessie in her candidacy and to help spread the word of her goals and priorities to improve Seattle. I am proud to work for a company that is so involved within the Seattle community and cares about its future. Jessie Israel, Frause and supporters of Jessie are on the right track for bringing change to Seattle which will in turn make the area a better place to work and live.

-Amy Graham

Frause Goes Green

If you are ever in the Frause Seattle office you will immediately notice all of the green. Green walls, green chairs, green business cards, green everything! Is all of this green a mere aesthetic coincidence, or is Bob Frause the mastermind behind a more covert, even sinister campaign for green? I have decided to get to the bottom of it!

Company employee Georgi craftily removed herself from any green-related responsibility, defending that “the green started before I did.” She also said that she has attempted to uphold the “company’s commitment to provide green in everything they do.” Likely story!

Sarah Murphy, who works in a purple office, is in complete green denial. “I never really noticed it before,” she puzzlingly answered. “I guess they’re just our company colors.”

At this point, my investigation was going in circles. I needed to get some answers, fast, so I decided to step up my game and talk to the big guns.

It wasn’t easy getting an appointment with company president Erika Schmidt; she is a very busy woman. Still, she took some time away from more important projects to give me a little insight into the groovy green trance that Frause has fallen under.

“The green came about two years ago when Frause re-branded” she told me. The green “popped out for a color choice and it fits our brand. It reflects our quirky, high-energy office, and the environmental work we do.” It all seemed pretty convincing. At least until I remembered that this is a PR company and Frause employees specialize in “crafting stories.” Was Erika in fact crafting a story for me?

My apprehensions however were quickly cleared away at a recent advertising meeting at Tiger Oak publications. The managing staff of Seattle magazine described how Frause has always stood out for its commitment to “green practices” and the environmental work the firm does on behalf of its clients.

Alas, it appears that Frause has no evil plan. Perhaps the green symbolism here is a little indulgent, but it is comforting to know that there is a reason for all of this lime opulence.

-Mike Scigliano

PR Around the World

In order to fully understand public relations, it is important to have some knowledge not only of PR in the U.S, but of PR practices in other countries as well. PR is different all over the world because each country has its own publications, its own culture and its own languages and a good understanding of these three topics is essential to becoming a good PR pro. In order to broaden my horizons, I did some brief research on PR in three different regions. Here are my findings:

PR in the Middle East is substantially different than in the United States. Its monarchies and governments are very restrictive and control most of the media market. For example, The UAE has "free zones" allowing economic deregulations and editorial freedom, but outside of the free zones the government censors anything that threatens its image or the country’s religious beliefs. In Dubai, where the mass communication industry is primarily located, there are fewer than 20 PR firms and ethical standards have yet to be established and practiced.

Europe, our friend across the seas, widely practices PR, but never refers to it as public relations. Instead, Europeans use the term "communication management" or "corporate communication." Because Europe consists of so many countries, European PR practitioners can not treat their region as a single market, this means they have to pay even more attention to each specific market and make sure they are not stepping on any cultural toes.

Public relations in Latin America has been greatly influenced by the U.S. Following the 1990’s Interamerican PR Confederation (CONFIARP), other Latin American national PR associations have seen a wane in their influence and prestige and now no longer have the power to legitimize and control PR in their countries. In most PR organizations, journalists exercise the role of PR practitioners, something that is different than here in the U.S. where the two are considered separate professions.

I have the great opportunity of traveling to Buenos Aires, Argentina, at the end of next month. I will be studying communications, media and PR there and will be visiting with the B.A. Edelman office to see how it conducts PR in the Latin American world. I’m very excited to get some first-hand experience with international PR. Hopefully I will return as a more culturally aware PR practitioner after my stay.

-Amy Graham

The Politics of PR

When President Obama visits most foreign countries, airports shut down, traffic is jammed for hours and millions of citizens gather around televisions and public squares to witness the popular dignitary. In Russia however, he couldn’t even make headlines.

The lackluster reaction to his recent visit to Moscow was a little surprising for Obama aides who are used to such rave support and attention throughout the international community. Germans, for example, find Obama more popular than their own prime minister, Angela Merkel.

But the problem isn’t that Russians don’t like Obama (well, hopefully). It is more a problem of a giant cultural and communications barrier the size of…oh, I don’t know… a wall, or a giant iron curtain. Perhaps though, Americans can help bridge this gap by trying a bit harder to speak the Russian language, so to speak—by practicing a more Russian brand of PR.

The first step is identifying the target audience. Vladimir Putin, for example, is a night owl. He stays out late, sleeps in late, and is quite the angry beaver before 11 am. That is why Obama shouldn’t blow off dinner with the Prime Minister to instead request an early breakfast meeting.

The second step is deciding how to communicate to the target audience. Russians have faced an indescribable history of war, conflict and famine. Obama’s smooth metaphors and tactful oration won’t get him very far in a country that takes everything with a grain of salt.

The final step in achieving good public relations is building stable, continued relations with the target audience. Hopefully, President Obama’s attempt to reach out a hand to our strained allies will achieve this very goal. As with all things in international relations, only time will tell.

-Mike Scigliano

Staying Organized with Today’s Media

In the last few years, the way our society gets news has changed drastically. Traditional media is falling by the wayside and social and online media is at an all time high. Because of this huge change, media personnel are jumping from one paper to the next, freelancing or, worst case scenario, finding themselves unemployed. In order for marketing, advertising and PR firms to keep up with the constant shift of today’s media, it is important to organize media contacts, stay on top of one’s media connections and maintain a structured, organized media tracking system.

As the media relations intern here at Frause, it is my job to continue to keep track of media content by organizing and sustaining media contact lists and editorial calendars so that they are easily accessible to Frause employees.

One of my most crucial tasks is to maintain the Frause internal database created through Microsoft Access. The database is shared amongst all Frause employees on the company’s server. As the intern, it is my responsibility to update the contacts sheet when we find a new publication or befriend a new journalist or freelancer.

I also carry on the job of collecting and systemizing editorial calendars for the 2009 year in an easy to find place on the Frause server. This responsibility entails working with publications’ advertising and sales staffs to maintain accuracy of editorial files and updating fellow Frause teammates on notable new publications and story plans. This organization effort allows Frause to know the schedule and plans of publications which makes pitching a story a little less hectic.

I am happy to know that the media relations skills I am acquiring here at Frause will help me stay ordered and prepared in this new and crazy media world. I will be all set to establish my own media contacts and to keep track of the relationships I build with traditional print journalists, bloggers and “social media gurus.”

-Amy Graham

New Study Achieves PR Awareness

A new study by Lisa Fall and Jeremy Hughes was recently published in the spring 2009 edition of the Public Relations Journal. The article, titled “Reflections of Perceptions,” compares before and after perceptions of the public relations field among a population of nationwide non-PR Major students taking a public relations management course. The results are particularly positive.

The study conducted before the course began found that the majority of students had enormously different views about the specific purpose of public relations. In fact, Fall and Hughes found that the profession of public relations was largely “misunderstood,” and the term “public relations” itself presented a “Pandora’s box of preconceptions.”

Such complications however were greatly overshadowed by the success of the course in promoting PR education and transforming the views of people towards the PR industry.

After completing this course, students’ overall impression toward the public relations field significantly increased. Their perceptions about how the industry serves the good of the public also increased. Moreover, students discovered the very practical link between their everyday activities and the field of public relations.

In many ways the results of the study provide an interesting insight into the world of PR and communications. Not only does continued education make PR more transparent, but it helps people realize the relevance and necessity of public relations. Since I have started interning here I have found public relations to be involved in many of the things I do. From simple networking to carefully (and slowly) negotiating transfer credits with my university, it seems that “public relations” is a term that affects many people, both in and outside the industry.

So move over misinterpreted terminology, PR is on the rise!

-Michael Scigliano

One of the Best Companies to Work For

Frause has exciting news to announce! We have been selected as one of Washington’s 100 Best Companies To Work For in 2009 by Seattle Business Monthly Magazine!

When the July issue arrived at the front desk, Frause employees shined with pride. It was a surreal experience to observe the office celebration as dozens of congratulatory e-mails flooded the office server. I couldn’t help but smile and think to myself how awesome it is to be a part of this thrilling experience. It isn’t everyday that a college student can say he or she works for The 9th Best Small Company in Washington State.

Frause was mentioned in the introductory paragraph of the article announcing one of the perks to being a part of the Frause family, a $500 shopping spree! While passing around the magazine, sporadic laughter filled the halls and chatter arose with fond memories of other unforgettable Frause moments. I quickly learned that Frause will not be having the shopping spree this year because the team flew to Palm Springs, California, in October for an all-inclusive Frause retreat!

These amenities are just a couple of ways that Founder and CEO Bob Frause honors his team for its heart and dedication to each Frause client. The next Frause event: a trip to Bob’s home on Whidbey Island for a day of BBQ and relaxation this coming August.

Blog readers please join me in congratulating the Frause team on this great accomplishment and keep your eyes peeled; there will be more fun and exciting news from Frause coming your way!

-Amy Graham

Thoughts on Whidbey

It’s not often that I think about work on my days off. Yet just the other day it seemed that even while on a short vacation, Frause was everywhere, and in a good way.

On my recent trip to Whidbey Island, I could not help but think of some of the work I am doing here at Frause with the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP). Not only is Whidbey home to Frause CEO Bob Frause and account supervisor Nathan Hambley, (not to mention my friend’s sweet party pad on the beach), it’s also a particularly special spot on the Puget Sound.

For anyone who has been to Whidbey Island, I am sure that you will agree it is outstandingly beautiful. Gorgeous driftwood-dotted beaches dip quietly into calm, clear water. The Olympic Mountains seem to shoot out of nowhere, piercing the visible skyline with their craggy defiance. Even dinosaur-size raptors (like the Osprey I saw) fly indiscriminately overhead. Simply put, it is incredible!

The sounds and sights of the Whidbey shoreline are something I will not quickly forget, and something that I hope will stay around for generations to come. PSP is working hard to attain this goal. In my recent phone interviews with local community leaders, environmental experts, and even the occasional mayor, I have come to understand the importance of the PSP project. Issues of stormwater runoff, shoreline pollution, and the dangers of bulkheads and docks seem abundantly imperative when witnessing the sheer natural beauty that Whidbey has to offer.

Probably the most important thing I have learned from working on behalf of PSP is the significant contribution that individuals can make to the health of the Sound. Little actions and individual changes in behavior can have a tremendous cumulative effect – be it on an environmental, policy or legislative level.

I’m not sure if humans are supposed to live on Whidbey (it seems too nice, somehow), but if we continue to, I hope that the work PSP is doing will allow us to live there in a responsible and contributive way.

-Michael Scigliano

Wanted: Employment

As a soon-to-be college grad, I have started to feel the pressure to find a steady job after I graduate. Finding a job in the “real world” has always been a nerve-racking and scary process for post-college entrepreneurs, but now it has become nearly impossible.

The nasty thing we all call the economic crisis has caused thousands of businesses to reevaluate their budgets, creating serious financial troubles, employee layoffs and hiring freezes. Last year, qualified college graduates would have had a few job offers to choose from. This year, grads are frantically trying to find companies that are hiring, but most aren’t having great luck. What was once a tough job hunt has now become almost unattainable. So what’s a grad to do?

Over the weekend I read a piece in the Tacoma News Tribune (I insist on staying connected to my home town) written by Dan Voelpel titled, “The rules of job hunting have changed.” In the article, Voelpel gives advice to job seekers by offering a few tips from Paul Anderson. Here is my spin on some of Anderson’s most important points.

--Scrap the elevator pitch.
Today, no one wants to hear about you; business people care about their company. Companies want to know how you can serve them. Grads need to change their mindset from self-serving to serving others. A great way to transform into this new mindset is to tailor your résumés and cover letters to the business you are applying to. A generic résumé mailed to a dozen companies won’t cut it anymore. Research each company and pay attention to its approach and expectations.

--Don’t hand out heaps of résumés at job fairs.
Your résumé will most likely end up in the trash can. It’s best to ask for the professional’s business card and ask how he/she prefers being contacted. In this competitive environment, it’s important for grads to make gutsy moves. Taking the initiative to send an e-mail or make a phone call shows more drive than handing out résumés to every person you see at a career fair. This small tactic will set you apart from other graduates and will increase your chances of being memorable.

--Use social networking sites.
Social networking sites are a great way to connect to fellow students and professionals in your specific area of focus. It’s great to make your online profiles available to the mass public, but be careful. Keep in mind that anyone can “Google” you and if a potential employer finds pictures from Spring Break-Cancun, you can say goodbye to that interview you were hoping for. Keep your private social networking sites password private or consider updating your profile information to reflect your professional self. If you decide to provide links to these sites on your résumé or business cards, make sure to tailor to your audience and provide useful, appropriate information. LinkedIn is a great personal networking site for college grads looking for employment. LinkedIn is now the number one online business network that allows users to post their résumés and search companies and their employees. It also allows all users to give and receive recommendations. Being active on LinkedIn can quickly help you build strong contacts with professionals who are well informed and eager to give advice.

-Amy Graham

Diving Right into Frause and onto the Bus

I just started as a media relations intern at Frause. The climate here is fresh and fast paced. The bright lime green walls seem to keep everyone energized and in good spirits all day long. After just a few short hours, I already felt acclimated to the Frause way of life. I downloaded Google chat to message quick questions to other team members, I learned how to answer the phones (which is more complicated then it might sound) and I started to familiarize myself with the internal database.

I learned new things outside of the Frause doors as well. After living in Seattle for almost four years, I am ashamed to say I have never taken the metro bus system. It didn’t take me long after my initial interview last week to realize paying for parking three days a week was going to make a deep dent in my penny bank, so in order to make money rather than blow money this summer, I took the plunge into the world of eco-friendly public transportation.

After a nearly sleepless night and a stressful morning walk to the bus stop, I made it to my desk safe and on time my first day. And I even found my way back home (Okay, I had some trouble finding the right bus stop for the return trip).

With my first work day under my belt, I laugh at myself because I was more stressed about the transportation to and from Frause then I was about the internship itself. Now I’m just looking forward to furthering myself in the Frause culture and being a contributing member of the team. I also pray I become a better Seattleite who eventually becomes a seasoned pro at navigating the Downtown bus system.

-Amy Graham

Reflections From the First Day

Walking down the sunny streets of Seattle on my way to lunch this afternoon I realized just how fortunate I am to be working in such a beautiful city and for such a unique company. Being the new intern here at Frause I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce myself…

My name is Michael Scigliano (don’t worry about the last name, it’s impossible to pronounce) and I just wanted to thank everyone for the exceptionally warm welcome I have received thus far. It has made working here quite the easy transition! Having spent the last two years in Walla Walla at Whitman College and most of my life trapped in suburbia, the hustle and bustle of the city is the perfect new environment for me to explore and sharpen my interests and to also have a remarkable summer.

I realized a few things on my way to work today. First, there is a bus stop right around the corner from my beat-up bungalow in Wallingford. In fact, there seems to be a bus stop on virtually every corner of this city. That may not impress a veteran city-slicker but cheap, efficient public transportation definitely beats sharing a ’99 Jeep Cherokee with my mother (flashback to high school).

Second, everyone said “hello” to me on the bus this morning. Having spent a lot of time visiting my dad in Manhattan, my natural reaction was to suspiciously eye everyone down while quietly transferring my wallet to my front pocket. The weird thing is, no one even tried to mug me. They just goofily smiled at me, expressing their Northwest penchant to be really, really, ridiculously nice!

The last thing I realized was how sweet (crossing my fingers) this internship is going to be. The office is amazing – it kind of reminds me of one of those hi-tech industry studios where everyone longboards to and from work. The coffee is great (props to Georgi), the views from the conference room are spectacular, and the people have been warm and welcoming.

I may be new to the PR industry, but I am ready to learn and excited to be a part of the Frause family. More blogs are on their way…

-Michael Scigliano

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye!

Wish I could stay longer but it is time for me to say my goodbyes! After a four-month internship, I am pleased to say that it’s time to flap my wings and fly out into the real world.

Graduating from then University of Oregon and gaining professional experience have been my two greatest accomplishments over the past months. I have had the opportunity to land broadcast and print media coverage for clients, facilitate a strategic planning session, write for the Frause blog, offer my recommendations, refine my writing skills, and make amazing professional connections.

Never did I believe I would have so much room to grow during my internship. Frause has prepared me for my career in communications and given me the skills to set myself apart from others in the job market.

As for the future, I am currently seeking a full-time career that utilizes my skills in communications and social media. I plan to stay in the Seattle area with my puggle, Happy, by my side and continue to grow as a professional.

Thank you to everyone at Frause who shared their sage advice, guided me through PR projects and believed in my ability. I also want to thank everyone who has followed this blog. I hope you will continue to enjoy reading about the interns’ experiences at Frause. And remember, I will still be writing about fashion and consumer public relations at Consuming PR!

Get ready to meet the next intern - coming soon to the Frause blog!