Social Connection

               In society, people are linked in an infinite amount of connections, especially with innovations in cellular phones and the internet. Of these connections, the most dominate in my experience at Florida A&M University have been Facebook and Twitter. Each of these social networking sites allows nearly limitless connections worldwide.

                Of the two, the site I am more familiar with is Facebook. I have used the social networking site as a tool to publicize events using an event option that allows the user to inform their “friends” and others of what, when, where and how an event will be taking place. The site also allows its users to share photos and videos with each other by uploading them to the site.

                The site was originally used as a social networking tool between college campuses and has exploded into a phenomenon that has surpassed the versatility of all its competitors. The site’s inception has been crafted into a hit film and its influence is evident worldwide. The site may be accessed at www.facebook.com.

                A social networking site that I have recently begun utilizing is Twitter. It is a simpler site that allows users to interact in one large feed by using “tweets” (instant messages that are seen by all of a person’s “followers”). These "tweets" can be linked into groups using the “#” symbol and can be directed toward specific people using the “@” symbol.

                Because Twitter moves at a real life pace, I have found that its usefulness is capitalized when its services are available on a mobile device. This allows the user to stay in tune with the conversation and the other users “tweeting” about a certain topic. Twitter can be accessed at www.twitter.com.

                These two websites allow me to remain connected with my peers, friends and family no matter where I am locate, as long as I have internet access.

Strategy through Research

  An approach that public relations practitioners utilize to measure a client’s effectiveness is benchmarking. Benchmarking is the continuous and systematic research process of measuring and organization and its products or services against the best practices of strong competitors and recognized industry leasers, in order to improve the organization’s performance. (Strategic Planning for Public Relations, Ronald Smith). This tool is invaluable to public relations practitioners for various reasons. The method may be used to perform a public relations audit or even to research into how other organizations have handled similar situations. I have completed various benchmarking tables this semester at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University to compare variables of competing businesses.

  One of my clients, ATHLETE Shirts, was particularly challenging to compare with other businesses. This is because the product that this client manufactures, a new brand of t-shirt with customizable features, is new and innovative. I overcame this challenge by comparing it to a slew of competitors that did not fit its description exactly, ranging from completely customizable clothing manufacturers to athletic apparel companies. The venture was a success.

  As a continuous and systematic process of measuring an organization and its product against its competitors, benchmarking aided me in identifying the areas of strengths and weaknesses my client possessed. I compared ATHLETE Shirts with its competitors in the areas of shirt quality, color, shipping options and even available payment methods. There were no stones left unturned. I was able to discover that my client possessed the advantage of having trend capabilities, meaning that because of its brand, it would be able to become a “fad” if properly communicated to consumers.

  Comparing a business to its competitors ensures that it will be able to contend in every measurable aspect. This helps in improving the organization’s performance and searching for better ways to do the things the organization already does.