Looking Forward to the Next 100 Years of Communication

Tomorrow the A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Kansas State University is celebrating 100 years. Students will learn from alumni about their experiences in the industry. Panels, luncheons and social gatherings give these K-Staters the opportunity to honor their school and build everlasting relationships. I was asked by a former professor to be on the advertising panel at the centennial. I’m excited to join Kristin Brighton of New Boston Creative and Kathy Lafferty of Sunflower Publishing. Sharing our combined experience will offer students insight on current and future trends in advertising. Three years out of college, I offer the …Continue Reading...

Groundswell

With all the talk on SM, I wanted to step back and talk about one of the ideas that social media is fueled by. Groundswell: winning in a world transformed by social technologies is written by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff. The book defines the groundswell as “a social trend in which people use technologies to get the things they need from each other, rather than from traditional institutions like corporations.” So why is it considered so powerful? The groundswell is putting the power where it so rightfully belongs, back into the consumer. The …Continue Reading...

Intern Job Description

INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION COMPANY PROFILE: Start-Thinking, LLC, is a marketing, advertising and public relations firm headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. We emphasize a strategic and integrated approach to communications planning and implementation and rely heavily on social media and rich media to keep brands top of mind. In addition to providing all the services expected of a full-service agency, we offer custom web application development, and special events and experiences. PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The Start-Thinking internship for fall 2010 will be focused on promoting the agency, with additional responsibilities in these areas: CLIENT SERVICE • Works …Continue Reading...

The Golden Rule

Face it, most people don’t work their way to the top without stepping on a few toes first. But as we all know, the respect of your peers and your “likeability” factor can take you much further as you climb the corporate ladder. But what happens if you are given the position of power? Do you stay the same likeable person, or does it get to your head? PRSA Tactics asked this very question and found through surveys that “the vast majority of rude and inappropriate workplace behaviors, such as the shouting of profanities, come from those with the most …Continue Reading...

Intern Learn

Start-Thinking has always focused on ways to help our interns learn. One of the techniques we developed this summer is a weekly, hour long meeting called Intern Learn, where our staff give presentations and discuss various current events in the world of integrated communications.Continue Reading...

So Long, Farewell

Now begins my final intern blog post. Who would have thought that simply checking my Twitter one day would lead to such a great experience? I met Kris last summer while I was interning for the City of Wichita with Tabitha Meyer. The city was collaborating with Start-Thinking on Smithsonian magazine Museum Day 2009. While checking Twitter during a homework break, I saw a tweet from Kris saying she was looking for summer interns. I had recently been searching for an opportunity for the summer, so I took this as a sign. The first week started off as a bit of a …Continue Reading...

Learning To Understand Visual Messages

Communication is important, that much is a given. The extent to which communication is important, however, is often underestimated. Communication serves as the basis of all human progress, whether it be communication between people, between one person and his subconscious, or even between a person and their surroundings, communication is happening on all fronts at all times. Never is communication strictly lingual. Visual imagery provides a message just as much as words and sentences, and often in more personal of a manner than language can provide. This understanding is the basis behind the field of graphic design, though regardless of your design …Continue Reading...

Lessons Learned from Starbucks

Some of the best learning experiences I’ve had have been at Starbucks, where I work as a barista. Not only is the training Starbucks provides very helpful, but the chance to interact with thousands of different customers throughout my time there has given me an opportunity to fine-tune my customer service skills in a way not many people can compare with. Here are some of the most important lessons that I’ve learned from Starbucks. 1. A free drink goes a long way. Too often, companies expect that simply shoveling free stuff or coupons to disgruntled customers will satisfy them and solve their …Continue Reading...

The 5 Reasons Good Communication is Like Good Haiku

The 5 Reasons Good Communication is Like Good Haiku Anyone who’s looked through my twitter feed can tell that I enjoy writing haiku. The ancient Japanese form is deceivingly simple – you can only have 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the second, and 5 in the last line. That’s it. You get 17 syllables to express a scene, a feeling, a landscape. And so, in haiku form, here are the 5 reasons that good communication is like good haiku. FOCUS Because of their length Haiku must have laser sharp Focus on topic. ESSENTIALS ONLY There is zero fluff No unnecessary words – Only essentials. DISCIPLINE Disciplined in form But flexible …Continue Reading...