Share What Ya Know–Cozi Calendar

The app I chose to share is called Cozi Calendar.  This app is a family organizer calendar app that is meant to make it easier to keep track of each other’s schedules.  It also has many other functions that make family life more convenient.  Looking at this app, it is easy to understand and easy to use, making it accessible even for grandma and grandpa!

This app allows anyone on the account to add events to the calendar.  The events can be color coated for each person.  On my family’s Cozi Calendar, we each have our own color for each of our own job schedules.  You can also set reminders and alerts to be sent out about different events that are going on.  Another helpful function with this app is the messaging tool and the “To Do” tab.  There is also a shopping tab so everyone on the account can add what they want from the grocery store in one convenient spot.

The reason I love this app is because I have a lot always going on between two jobs, 15 credit hours, and 2 different sorority positions, life can get pretty crazy for me.  Knowing that my family has a way to stay in contact and on schedule is very helpful.  One thing I really like about this app is that everything can be color coated.  This is helpful for a quick glance and knowing where I fall on the schedule.  Another thing I really like about this app is the fact you can actually download the app on your phone or access it from the website cozi.com.  One thing I do not like about the app is the monthly view.  The events do not show up unless you click on the weekly view.  Another thing I do not like is the fact you can’t set events private.  This means that every event can be seen by anyone who has access to the account.

The reason that this can relate to marketing or public relations is because it can help organize a team.  Using an app like this could help a PR team or a marketing team know where and what everyone else on the team is doing or has planned.  It also allows anyone with access to the calendar to be able to send messages or come up with a To Do list.  Being able to send alerts and reminders can also benefit the team in order to stay organized and on the same page as the rest of the team.

The Amusement of Snapchat

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Many of us know and love Snapchat and everything it has to offer.  Whether it be the many different filters, ranging from the doggy filter to the butterfly crown, or even the very dramatic frowny face, or maybe it is the thrill of the location filters.  People are addicted to Snapchat.  We live in a generation that loves to document everything and also loves to share everything with everyone.  Snapchat is a great way to do this because it allows people to share moments or “snaps” of their lives with all of their friends.  These snaps can be shared for anywhere from one second to ten seconds.  Having the ability to send out mass snaps, documenting our lives is extremely appealing to many of us that fall in the age range of teenager to mid-twenties.

According to “Social Media How to Engage, Share, and Connect” by Regina Luttrell, “Snapchat began infamously as a one-to-one mobile messaging app known for sexting—because its messages disappear in seconds—but today it’s a one-to-many platform used daily by more than 100 million active users…”(Luttrell 98).  Now that so many people use it for sharing everyday experiences, it is not looked at as much as a “dirty” application.  Snapchat is a fast and easy way to keep others updated on your life and experiences.

Another thing Snapchat is great at is learning how to target their audience better.  Many companies use Snapchat to promote their brands.  Many magazines and news articles such as Buzzfeed use Snapchat to promote different stories, quizzes, or information to their viewers in a fun and interactive way.  These stories can also be shared with friends on Snapchat through the chat feature.

Snap: A picture or video that last for a maximum of ten seconds and a minimum of one second.

Chat: The ability to send a text or to “chat” with friends on snapchat without needing their number.

Buzzfeed: “…the leading independent digital media company delivering news and entertainment to hundreds of millions of people around the world” (Buzzfeed).

 

Many different companies use Snapchat to connect with its users including a company called Free People.  Free People “provides fans with a first look at new collections and behind the scenes looks inside the office…” (Luttrell 100).  By using Snapchat, it allows for businesses like Free People to open up conversations with consumers on a variety of different topics and gives businesses the chance to answer the questions consumers may have.

Another way Snapchat engages with people is by the filters they use.  For example, earlier this week we had the election.  During the election, different filters would pop up for both of the candidates.  This was a way to let people express their political views with different filter options for both candidates.  Snapchat also releases different filters for different events that are happening.  For example, you will see different filters for movies releases.  You can also find different filters for new makeup releases as well.  Basically, anything that is exciting or interesting for people, Snapchat can make a filter for it.  You can also customize your own design and send it into Snapchat to have it made public, which you can find here.

Snapchat is a great way to interact with customers and people from all over.  It allows businesses and people to promote different products, services, and just about anything else.  Businesses have realized the potential Snapchat has and is beginning to embrace it.

 

 

References

About Buzzfeed. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2016, from https://www.buzzfeed.com/about

Geofilters. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2016, from https://www.snapchat.com/geofilters

Luttrell, R. (2016). Social Media How to Engage, Share, and Connect (2nd ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

 

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Hailey Hunter is a junior majoring in public relations and double minoring in general business and communication.  She is very passionate about Greek Life and hopes to someday work in higher education and student affairs.  Follow her on Twitter @HaileyHunter3

Hazing Stops With Us

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My very first blog post focused on sorority recruitment and how to be able to learn about the recruitment process.  For those of you who can’t tell, I am a part of a sorority and proud of it.  Another thing that I am very proud of is the fact we as a Greek community have a strong stance against hazing.  Here at Eastern Michigan University we have a no tolerance hazing policy, which means that if any organization Greek or not is caught hazing, they are removed from campus.  We as a Greek community organize a week long campaign to show that we do not haze.

In Professor’s Luttrell’s book “Social Media How to Engage, Share, and Connect” she mentions how there has been an increase in visual social media.  “The need for and rise in the incorporation of images will undoubtedly increase in the coming years” (Luttrell 111).  By using photos, it increases attention brought to social media campaigns, which is one thing we do for Anti-Hazing Week.  My own chapter Sigma Kappa has a nationally recognized Anti-Hazing Week called RespΣΚt Week.  I am currently in charge of planning both the RespΣΚt Week and the campus wide anti-hazing week.  Both of these campaigns are used to show not only the Greek community but also the non-Greek community that we do not haze.

As a PR move, this is beneficial because it reflects a positive side of campus organizations and Greek Life to the community. So what is hazing?  HazingPrevention.org defines hazing as “…any action taken or any situation created intentionally that causes embarrassment, harassment or ridicule and risks emotional and/or physical harm to members of a group or team, whether new or not, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate”(HazingPrevention.org). Anti-hazing week is an event that is displayed all over campus through different methods.  These methods are as follows:

  • Banners: The banners in the Student Center are hung up and pictures are displayed. The pictures are of members of Greek Life in their letters with their hands held up in the “stop” position.  This is to represent the #TheseHandsDon’tHaze.  Campuses all over use this hashtag to bring awareness to anti-hazing policies.  This banner idea is new this year and was created by myself.
  • Social Media Campaigns: Throughout the week, there will be different social media challenges.  Each day the different chapters will be encourage to tweet out anti-hazing facts or support with the #HazingStopsWithUs
  • Lobby Tables: Lobby Tables will also be set up in the Student Center so as people walk by, they can sign the anti-hazing pledge.  Once they do this, they will get a purple ribbon to show that they signed the anti-hazing pledge.
  • T-shirts: The volunteer staff of Greek Judicial Board, including myself, which is the board that listens to different cases if something goes wrong within the Greek community, will be making shirts that have the #HazingStopsWithUs and the Greek Life symbol on them.  These T-shirts will be worn throughout the week and extras will be sold to anyone who wants one.  The money raised from the shirts will then be donated back the official hazing prevention website which can be found here.
  • Chalking: Sidewalk chalk is done all over campus to raise awareness as people walk to and from class. There will be different facts about hazing and prevention listed.  It is suggested that people chalking take a picture with their sidewalk chalk and #HazingStopsWithUs.

All of these different ideas for the anti-hazing week are promoted throughout campus to bring awareness to those within and outside the community.  The whole anti-hazing week is to bring attention through different social media campaigns, pictures, and anything else relevant to helping others understand what we do and do not stand for.

References

Luttrell, R. (2016). Social Media How to Engage, Share, and Connecr (2nd ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

Policies, Rules, and Regulations (Vol. 8.1). (n.d.). Ypsilanti, MI: Eastern Michigan University.

https://twitter.com/search?q=%23hazingstopswithus&src=typd

https://twitter.com/search?q=these%20hands%20dont%20haze&src=typd

What Hazing Looks Like. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2016, from http://hazingprevention.org/home/hazing/facts-what-hazing-looks-like/

SoMe…SoWhat?

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Social media is an ever growing and evolving form of communication that allows people all over the world to connect, share, engage, and manage their lives for others to see.  Looking back at the last decade, forms of social media have changed so much and have become a part of our everyday lives.  Society uses social media in almost every aspect of our lives on a daily basis to promote different topics, ideas, or life updates.  Even businesses have begun to use social media to connect with consumers.  But how do we know if we are connecting with the right people and engaging in productive conversations?

In Professor Luttrell’s book “Social Media How to Engage, Share, and Connect” she talks about how there is a model that we can follow to make sure that social media is properly being used.  This way we can enhance our social media presence.  This model is called the SoMe model.  The different sections of SoMe include share, optimize, manage, and engage.  If businesses and other social media accounts follow the SoMe rules, their social media will thrive.  The parts of SoMe include the following:

  • Share: The share portion of social media starts the conversations that can be had. According “Social Media How to Engage, Share, and Connect” the share portion of SoMe includes “participate, connect, build trust” (Luttrell 33).
  • Optimize: To optimize social media accounts one must “listen, learn and, take part in authentic conversations” (Luttrell 33).
  • Manage: It is essential that social media accounts are managed. If an account goes unmanaged then important questions, comments, and concerns can be missed.  When managing social media accounts it is important to remember the steps to take to make it great.  According to socialmediaexaminer.com “The first step is to put the right systems in place to keep your posts relevant, interesting and valuable for your audience” (King).
  • The last section of SoMe is the engage portion which includes the ability to “influence relations, understanding where the audience is, and how to reach them” (Luttrell 33).

Another important part of managing social media is to remember the golden rule of social media.  People like to feel special and feel like they are feeling heard.  Because of this the 80/20 rule is crucial to remember.  If someone finds a social media account that does not interest them or appeal to them, they will not revisit it.  With the 80/20 rule, 80% of the content of social media should be from “…discovering what your audience is really interested in and responding to those needs, will your brand be able to maintain a consistent, sustainable, and engaging online social media presence” (De Beule).  The other half of that is the 20% that should be geared toward the business itself.  This should “Include a discount, add a special offer, provide useful statistics, etc.” (De Beule).

The 80/20 rule works with SoMe because everything has to be of equal balance.  Having social media be such a large part of society is a great thing.  However, that also means that people need to properly use the social media channels to enhance their accounts and promote their businesses, brands, and anything else they may stand for.  Social media is a great tool to use if done the right way.  By following the SoMe model and the 80/20 rule your social media accounts will be flawless.

Hailey Hunter is a junior majoring in public relations and minoring in general business.  She is very passionate about Greek Life and hopes to someday work in higher education and student affairs.  Follow her on Twitter @HaileyHunter3

References

De Buele, S. (2013, December 17). The 80/20 Rule: Why Just 20% of Your Social Media Content Should be About Your Brand. Retrieved October 9, 2016, from http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/8020-rule-why-just-20-your-social-media-content-should-be-about-your-brand

King, C. (2016, November 18). 20 Social Media Marketing Tips From the Pros. Retrieved October 9, 2016, from http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-marketing-tips-pros/

Luttrell, R. (2016). Social Media How to Engage, Share, and Connecr (2nd ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

Recruitment Ready…Go Greek!

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All across college campuses this is the time of year for people to go Greek!  Sororities are recruiting following rules put in place by their national headquarters and fraternities are getting to know the men that could potentially become their brothers.  But for those of us out there who have no idea what going Greek means or how the process works, here is a look at the beginning stages of the recruitment process and how important PR is when trying to get people interested in going Greek.

In Professor Luttrell’s book “Social Media How to Engage, Share, and Connect” she talks about how Twitter is a great tool for getting people connected through all different types of interactions ranging from likes, to hashtags, to retweets and more.  One example of a hashtag that has been used here at Eastern Michigan University that signifies sorority recruitment is #findyouryellowumbrella.

  • The purpose of the #findyouryellowumbrella is to tag any post, picture, or video so potential new members or women interested in recruitment can easily access the different sororities posts.

Each sorority will have their own page for potential new members to go and check out.  They can be found on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and some may even have a Snapchat.

  • Instagram: A social media platform that allows users to share photos with anyone in the world. It also gives users a chance to edit pictures with different filters and settings.  “There are three major factors that draw users to Instagram: (1) Personalization, (2) lifestyle, and (3) exclusivity” (Luttrell 108). Sorority recruitment chairs and PR chairs use Instagram to edit their chapter’s photoshoots along with sharing the exciting times sisters have had together to spark interest in those considering going Greek, along with showing their chapter’s in the best light possible.
  • Facebook: Another social media platform that brings people together in sharing photos and posts that might interest each other. People can also create pages for others to visit and receive more information.  To find EMU sorority recruitment page click this link.
  • YouTube: A website that allows a person to upload and share videos with other people all over the world (What is YouTube).   Sororities all make recruitment videos that are uploaded to YouTube.  You can find the link to my chapter’s recruitment video here.
  • Snapchat: An app that allows a person to send pictures or videos to others for a limited amount of time (Betters). You can create an account dedicated to a specific topic.  For example, EMU has one designated for sorority recruitment which can be added by the username @emurecruitment.

The purpose of having chapters be accessible from so many different social media platforms is so that those interested will have multiple ways to receive information. Although recruitment might only be a four-day weekend to some, it is months and months of planning for others.

For those of you who may be even the slightest bit interested in sorority recruitment, I recommend you attend at least the first day.  If you go to the first day and you love it, you’ll have the opportunity to find your home.  If you go to the first day and decide maybe this is not the right year for you, that is okay too.  At the end of the day, you still tried something new and who knows maybe it will change your life.

I encourage all of you to look up the #findyouryellowumbrella  on Twitter and Instagram and watch the different sorority recruitment videos that can be found all over all the social media platforms.

 

 

 

Hailey Hunter is a junior majoring in public relations and minoring in general business.  She is very passionate about Greek Life and hopes to someday work in higher education and student affairs.  Follow her on Twitter @HaileyHunter3

 

 

References
Betters, E. (2015, December 26). What’s the point of Snapchat and how does it work? Retrieved September 18, 2016, from http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/131313-what-s-the-point-of-snapchat-and-how-does-it-work
Luttrell, R. (2016). Social Media How to Engage, Share, and Connecr (2nd ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.
What is YouTube? (n.d.). Retrieved September 18, 2016, from https://www.digitalunite.com/guides/tv-video/what-youtube