QuickStart Conference 2024 Wrap-Up: Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of PRSA ECD, Honoring the Past – Igniting Our Future

Written by Mark Pompilio

WELCOME REMARKS
PRSA ECD Chair-Elect Mark Weinstein 

PRSA East Central District Chair-Elect and QuickStart Chair Mark Weinstein kicked off QuickStart 2024 by thanking guests noting that attendance doubled for this year’s conference. He gave special thanks to the QS sponsors, particularly Fahlgren-Mortine for hosting, and thanked ECD administrator Jen Gilman for her continued support and ECD Chair Jennifer Kramer for her leadership.

Weinstein reflected on ECD’s 70 years of helping develop strong public relations communicators and leaders, and his confidence in the district’s future

“My vision for our district and chapters is to focus on people — our PRSA chapter members — through mentoring and service,” Mark said. “We can create the best programs and campaigns, but if we neglect each other, we’ve forgotten our most treasured resource: the people we’re working alongside.”

SESSION OVERVIEW

Building Sponsorships to Strengthen Our Chapters         
John Tintera, PRSA ECD Liaison
 
7-Step Sponsorship Process:

  1. Appoint a Manager: Ensure one person is responsible for the success of sponsorships.
  2. Gather Volunteers: Assemble a team to help with outreach.
  3. Create a Brochure/Sell Sheet: Outline the features and benefits of sponsorships. Ensure everyone believes in the value of what they’re offering. Focus on selling the benefits: “What’s in it for them?”
  4. Brainstorm Potential Sponsors: Identify a list of sponsors and assign team members.
  5. Determine Outreach Needs: Ask each team member how much time they need and to bring in three leads. Create a tracking document with assignments and deadlines.
  6. Follow-up: The point person ensures commitments are being met.
  7. Manage Sponsor Relationships: Team members are responsible for maintaining relationships with the sponsors they secure, including gathering logos and marketing materials.

 In John’s list of Best Practices, he emphasized the importance of creating a “clear value proposition that emphasizes partnership over transactions,” which is crucial for attracting sponsors, and reminded us that it’s not rude to ask for money and it’s OK to get a no – we need answers. 

SESSION OVERVIEW

How Podcasts Can Impact Our Mission  
Scott Light, Lighthouse Communications      
 
Scott Light shared insights on the rising popularity and potential of podcasting, noting that platforms like the Washington Post are rolling out 146 audio posts every day to meet listener demand. He stressed the importance of building long-term relationships with audiences instead of just creating short-term promotional content. With podcasts now reaching 18-34-year-olds as effectively as TV does, companies should consider setting aside about 5% of their advertising budgets for podcasts since they allow for targeted and cost-effective outreach.

Scott said 140 million people listen to podcasts monthly, and women are quickly catching up to men in terms of listenership, with around 70 million tuning in each week. He highlighted the financial potential in podcasting, citing the $80 million deal that the Smartless podcast secured with Spotify. Collaborations are also on the rise, with non-profits teaming up to create shared content. For example, the City of Dublin runs a bi-weekly podcast that focuses on local events and invites community feedback, showing how organizations can effectively engage their audience.

When it comes to starting a podcast, he said many podcasts don’t last beyond four episodes. If a podcast can hit over 26 downloads in its first week, it’s already doing well, landing in the top 50%. Scott recommended investing in quality equipment—while a $50 mic can work, spending about $2,000 on gear like Rode microphones can make a big difference in sound quality.

More Tips for Success:

  • Teaser Content: Release short, one-minute clips before the full episode to generate interest.
  • Ideal Podcast Format: Keep it to 2-4 hosts to avoid overlap and confusion, and have a showrunner to guide the conversation without scripting. Interview-style shows tend to perform well.
  • Distribution: Popular platforms like Apple Podcasts and Transistor (around $200/year) are widely used, though Riverside offers free distribution.
  • As for monetization, podcast revenue is expected to soar past $4 billion in 2024, so seeking sponsors linked to relevant themes or events is key. He also mentioned that creating short series focused on specific topics is becoming a popular trend, allowing for deeper dives into subjects that resonate with listeners.

SESSION OVERVIEW

Stress Management – Beyond Resilience: Mental Health Strategies for Soaring in a Stress-Filled Life

Leslie Hansen, Directions Counseling & Coaching

Leslie defined stress as a state of mental or emotional strain resulting from challenging circumstances. She defined resiliency as the capacity for successful adaptation despite these difficulties.

A mental health survey revealed that many professionals are working over 40 hours a week, with some exceeding 50 hours, in addition to dedicating significant time to PRSA-related activities. The survey found that 61% of respondents struggle with stress, and 40% cope by compartmentalizing their feelings, which can affect their interactions with colleagues. Leslie emphasized the growing recognition of the need to prioritize mental health, a conversation that gained momentum in 2020, particularly among those working remotely.
Stress can be categorized as acute, which leads to short-term issues such as loss of appetite and sleeplessness, or chronic, which can result in severe consequences like cardiovascular problems and feelings of hopelessness.

Resiliency often hinges on effective coping strategies. Leslie recommended practices such as breathing exercises—focusing on filling the diaphragm first, holding for five seconds, and then exhaling—as well as physical activities like screaming into a pillow for stress relief. Understanding personal values is also essential for fostering resilience. Leslie suggested that writing exercises centered on values can significantly reduce stress levels.

“Goals represent what you want to achieve,” she said. “Values are how we live moment to moment. They remind you what you are fighting for in times of stress.”

Key takeaways from Leslie’s presentation include the importance of familiarizing oneself with personal values, expanding support networks, and focusing on behaviors that lead to positive outcomes rather than worry.

She encouraged regular journaling and an annual reassessment of values to adapt to life’s changes. For further support, individuals can reach out to Leslie at Directions Counseling at [email protected] or 614-888-9200.

SESSION OVERVIEW

Helping your Chapter SOAR! Strategies for Building Resilient & Effective PRSA Chapters
Jeff Kennedy, Kennedy Coaching, Professional Development & Leadership Development

Jeff talked about using the SOAR model to identify and leverage strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results for chapter growth.

  • Strengths focus on identifying what sets your chapter apart from others. Consider how these core strengths have contributed to your past successes, such as leveraging alumni networks and sharing testimonials to highlight achievements. Building corporate partnerships is another key strength that can enhance your chapter’s visibility and resources.
  • Opportunities involve recognizing external trends or changes that can foster growth. This includes addressing succession planning gaps, facilitating knowledge transfers, and developing a leadership pipeline. Emphasizing continuous learning, skill enhancement, and mentorship can further open doors for career progression and collaboration.
  • Aspirations encourage chapters to envision their future over the next 3-5 years. This includes defining the legacy you wish to leave in the PR community and how your chapter can evolve to meet emerging challenges.
  • Results focus on the specific outcomes you hope to achieve through your chapter’s initiatives and how to measure their success effectively.

In closing, he urged, “Start using the SOAR model in your chapter as a call to action to increase membership and strengthen your organization’s impact in the industry.”

SESSION OVERVIEW

Being an Employer of Choice
Hinda Mitchell, president & founder Inspire PR Group

Why your employer brand matters: 43% say a meaningful job is the greatest source of happiness. Employees whose managers consistently acknowledge them for good work can reduce turnover by 31%. 70% would leave a company for better development and learning.

Money and time is well spent on internal and external communications: 86% of employees and executives cite a lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures.  Too much info, irrelevant info, lack of alignment between discussions going on at the same time, not enough time to process information, and lack of alignment with strategic vision – all result in a loss of trust.

12 Tips for Understanding & Improving Employer Brand:

  1. Audit and Assess: Evaluate the employer’s presence and relevant benchmarks.
  2. Help Your Brand Shine: Focus on continuous learning and improvement in recruitment.
  3. Show Real People: Use authentic representations in recruiting efforts.
  4. Align Values: Ensure managers understand and communicate the company’s core values effectively.
  5. Reinforce Purpose: Clearly articulate the company’s mission and its relevance to employees.
  6. Make Your Team Stars: Highlight employee achievements across various platforms.
  7. Map Career Paths: Clearly communicate growth opportunities and retention strategies.
  8. Drive Leadership Consistency: Ensure effective communication and support from managers.
  9. Embrace Transparency: Build trust through direct communication and accountability.
  10. Share Your Employer Story: Utilize various channels for regular communication and engagement.
  11. Communicate Continuously: Maintain daily connections with internal audiences to strengthen relationships.
  12. Be an Employer of Choice: Make intentional decisions that differentiate the brand in a competitive labor market.

SESSION OVERVIEW

AI: Using Today’s Communication
Dr. Rob McDole, Director of the Center for Teaching & Learning Cedarville University
 

  • Rob McDole started with the question, “What do I want to know about generative AI today?” He clarified that “copyright depends on the tool; new ChatGPT won’t use it,” emphasizing the importance of understanding how different AI tools handle data.
  • McDole advocated for using APIs to maintain data privacy, explaining, “Getting your own API version keeps your data from being utilized, trained, or stored by OpenAI beyond what you’ve used it for.”
  • Described AI as “just a mirror of humanity,” using vast datasets to predict text – the next word – based on human input. He urged professionals to embrace AI, stating, “We’re not losing jobs to AI, but those who don’t use it will lose their jobs,” drawing parallels between AI advancements and historical shifts like the Gutenberg press.
  • He emphasized the personalization aspect of AI, suggesting, “You want it to write like you” and advised users to upload writing samples to create a style template. Cautioning against complacency, he states, “You have to verify” the outputs, as the legal landscape surrounding AI is still evolving.
  • Rob suggested a call for self-reflection, asking, “What are your values?” and reiterated that embracing generative AI is a crucial step for future success in a digital world, encouraging participants to “use as many as you can.”
  • Rob concluded by demonstrating how AI can compose and create music on demand. He utilized the Suno AI platform to produce an “ECD Anthem” and played it for the QuickStart audience, and it was quickly shared on ECD social media.

SESSION OVERVIEW

How Creativity Impacts Problem-Solving 
Jim Stevenson, International Center for Creativity, Columbus, Ohio
 

  • Jim talked about the fundamental role creativity plays in driving innovation and productivity, opening with a critical question: “Is it a problem worth solving or not?” He stressed that creativity should directly address customer needs and align with the mission or vision of the organization.
  • Jim explained why “good ideas die on whiteboards,” pointing out the lack of champions and misalignment with the right problems as common pitfalls. He said the Einstein quote. “Define the problem before finding the solution,” underlines the need to thoroughly understand the issue at hand.
  • Jim differentiated between two levels of creativity: lowercase ‘c’ for everyday creativity and uppercase ‘C’ for fresh, impactful ideas that can be repeated and taught. He insisted that “we are all intuitively creative,” encouraging attendees to see the familiar from a new perspective. He noted that “creativity is generating new and novel ideas to advance a project from its current state to a preferred position,” and emphasized the importance of divergent thinking in the creative process.
  • Jims shared that children often test as creative geniuses, but only 30% maintain that status by age 10, and merely 2% of adults. He said, “perfectionism is a creativity killer,” warning that self-consciousness and the desire to be the smartest can hinder creative expression.
  • “Brainstorming’ often gets misused,” he said.  “You’re doomed if you are brainstorming to solve a problem.”
    • He said we should use it properly to break from cognitive fixes, for example, writer’s block. “It’s designed to create volumes of ideas, broad ideas. It’s the power of ambiguity. You’re not there for a solution but to come up with possibilities, potentialities, and discovery.
    • “It’s for a small group – not a large group.  Brainstorming is not to find a solution, but to generate ideas” without the threat of criticism. He stressed, “It’s designed for possibilities—not solutions,” and emphasized the importance of creating an environment that encourages idea generation, free from distractions and dominant personalities.
  • Jim concluded with actionable advice, urging the audience to “be open to new things” and to document their experiences. He encouraged them to “celebrate diversity” and to engage in activities that stimulate creativity, like consuming art or taking walks. He advocated for keeping a journal to document experiences. “Do a curiosity project,” he said. “Learn how to do it, pursue it. Be counterintuitive – talk to strangers. Find ways to say ‘yes’ – it’s easy to start with ‘no.’ Start with ‘yes’ and see where it leads.

“Don’t take yourself so seriously. Consume artwork to stimulate synapses that help with creative thoughts. Be humble, in the moment, take a walk and before you do, read the Robert Frost poem, ‘The Road Not Taken.’”