A Good Ending To 2015

Things were a little hectic at the office in December. It is usually a busy month but this year it seemed to be more jam packed than usual. There were also a few pleasant surprises scattered across the weeks that had me wanting for the month not to come to an end. And all of this really started months before in our planning process.

At the beginning of the year, we put together general outlines for the public relations and media activity for each of our clients. While nothing ever goes exactly to plan, we have a good handle on where the high and low points are going to be during the year. What this means for us is basically we are able to adjust our focus slightly from month to month depending upon whether more research, input, writing, or media outreach needs to take place. Well, December is not a time to be prepping, the final month of the year is one of action.

The conversations that I have with those in the media during this month are the ones that will color the following year and being able to provide them with what they want, within the frame of our pitching efforts, is what can make or break the season. And I make it a point to make everyone happy with the outcome of our outreach. By the end of the month we were able to provide publications with some great interviews and articles and our clients were happy to see themselves included in publications such as CNBC, Yahoo! Finance, The Chicago Sun Times, The Arizona Republic, USA Today, MSN Money, and Credit.com.

It was a great way to end the year and our clients entered the new year with a pleasant sense of satisfaction. For me, it was nice to be recognized by the clients for not just the work that we did in December but throughout the year with our clients seeing an increase in coverage, year over year, of approximately 40%. Back in the office, it was also the time of year when the owner of the firm recognizes all of us for the hard work and long hours that we put in throughout the previous year… it was time for the annual bonus which is always welcomed and greatly appreciated.

However, with all the great things that happened at the end of the year, it was also time to start thinking about the overarching annual plan for 2016. Not only are we coordinating those hours allocations mentioned above but also setting the goals for the new year. 2015 was great but 2016 is going to be even better and I am already excited to see the results.

It Is (Past) That Time Again

When I first started working at my current company it was outlined that I would have an annual review to go over my performance during the previous year. Of course, the only exception to that policy was the first six months as I agreed upon being hired that I needed some time to get re-acclimated following an extended absence from the industry. This placed my first review in the middle of April 2014. Obviously, this would mean that my second review would occur around the same time the following year. Well, that obviously didn’t happen or you would have read this post months ago.

However, while it would have been nice to have everything move along as planned, we have been busy this year with both new and existing business. A great problem to have and something that I attribute to us all doing our jobs and doing them well. So, months later, we were finally able to find a window in the day to get my review done last week. Thankfully, my company believes in retro pay!

It is still an odd process for me as each of my colleagues completes and evaluation form rating me on a scale of 1-5 (1 being the best) and providing comments on various categories related to the my performance. I have filled this same form out for a few of my colleagues and it can be a bit of a challenge at times especially given the fact that we have to recommend three areas of improvement. While it was difficult to determine these things in others, it was rather easy when completing my own form. Yes, I was also required to take a step back and review my own performance.

By being honest with my own review, the others sounded fantastic as I sat across the desk from the owner of the company. Heck, I would much rather be too harsh on myself and use it as motivation than think I am doing a great job only to struggle with my responsibilities. Seems that my boss feels the same way which made for a great experience going over the previous year and the flattering comments that my colleagues wrote as well as the points where I need improvement. Both were very much appreciated. The salary increase at the end of the meeting was appreciated as well!

It continues to be an interesting process but one that is hugely beneficial in monitoring my performance. I know what to keep doing and where I need to improve my routines. Hopefully I can show the marked improvement that I expect by the time my next review comes around which is still scheduled for April! Of course, you will find out shortly afterward in a few months. 

50K And 67

There have been many milestones since I started this blog. Many of them I had preconceived notions from the very beginning as to when they would occur. I was completely wrong regarding this latest one as I originally thought that it would happen sometime during the fourth year of writing. This was later revised to a timeline slightly more optimistic than reality but it really was slight. Basically it breaks down to the originally projection of about one thousand views per month later revised to over two thousand.

Well, just over two years since the first words were posted, I hit the 50,000 views mark. While a big number (at least for me) when you first look at it, it is even bigger when you think about it. This blog has been viewed 50,000 times which breaks down to roughly 67 views per day. Obviously some posts have been more popular than others and some days have been more active than the rest. That is the ebb and flow of writing in general and blogging in particular.

Think about that for a second. On average, there were 67 clicks specifically with the intention of reading the content that I have posted. Given the lack of interesting content that has been produced overall, this just goes to show that really anyone can do this. With that said, I appreciate each person and each click that has been made since this blog was launched. It was never my intent to gain a large readership but it is certainly nice to see people enjoying what I am writing (or getting pissed off by it).

The sheer volume is still completely foreign to me. I have written for a variety of companies and executives over the years where these numbers are pretty insignificant but having something with my name on it being read to such an extent is kind of astounding. Of course, this is coming from someone who started off in the poetry market where exposure and popularity are tremendously small in comparison to other genres. Having this many people read my work now would have been unthinkable in those days a decade ago.

The trick now is trying to find the balance between past and present, quality and quantity, honest and opinion, originality and reporting. It is a completely different way of writing these days and something that I am still getting used to. I treat this as a journal but have to maintain some kind of coherence in the posts. It is a balance of writing and of time. It is work and play.

So, thank you again for all your support but don’t just sit back and read. I encourage you to do the same, write about what you want to record about your life. Put yourself out there. Enjoy the process and the sharing of ideas. And, of course, let me know if there is anything that you would like me to write about and I will do my best to accommodate.

The Importance Of Client Dinners

Last night, after a long day at the office during which my evening schedule remained in flux, I walked out the door and headed to Sports Clips to prepare for our persistent client dinner. Thankfully I left a little early as my simple haircut and trim took much longer than expected. However, I still had plenty of time to drive up to Yardley for dinner (and I didn’t even get lost).

The Yardley Inn has become one of the regular spots where we meet this particular client for dinner. It is only about 20 minutes from each office location and the food has always been excellent. At least this is what I have been told as this was my first time there and so everything was new to me. However, after last night I can highly recommend the beet salad and the pork paprikash. And it doesn’t hurt that it is located on a beautiful lot right along the Delaware River.

Client dinners are always something that I look forward to as they are generally a more relaxed time to meeting and discuss other things besides work. These are the time that we really get to know our clients on a personal level and the one we met with last night is a perfect example of that. Too often we get caught up in the position that someone holds or the current projects that we are working on. However, we have to keep in mind that there needs to be a bit of a separation as those projects and insights basically encompassing the entirety of my job.

The stories that each of us shared last night are really fascinating as they both demonstrated the common interests and clearly defined the different experiences that have shaped us. All of which led each of us to the same table. The glimpses into life and experience that has shaped the people we work with and the things that they have accomplished in life are really what piques my interest and what motivates me to want to work even harder for them.

As the orders were placed and the drinks poured, the night continued in excellent fashion. We have worked hard all year and have had countless conversations with our client through email and over the phone but moments like this are the true motivators and give us that little bit extra drive when a project is nearing completion or an event is quickly approaching. In fact, I am looking forward to our next client meal after the long days on the show floor in Chicago in a couple of months. This was just the additional motivation I needed.  

Invasion Of The Large Sticky Notes

We all have memories, at least those of us over a certain age, of the blackboard being filled with what at the time seemed like an endless list of information. While it was nothing more than routine at the time, in hindsight it was actually a great tool to make sure that everyone was on the same page and, for me, it kept my wandering mind on task. While I see this as my mind being occupied by an overflow of thoughts, today it would most likely be seen as ADD which, to use a technical term, is crap.

Moving on in my academic life, the chalk quickly stepped aside and the grease board became a more prevalent wall decoration. I recently found out that I am older than I thought as the term ‘grease board’ is no longer used. Even after my undergraduate years, the white board was something that I tried to utilize for the same benefit that I got out of the chalk board in my youth. There is something about writing down a task, monitoring progress, and finally crossing it off that is oddly satisfying in a way that I have not been able to achieve through digital means.

Now, I find myself taking a step back as the back wall of my office is constantly covered with large sticky notes. For those of you unfamiliar or just can’t picture the process, these bloated sheets of paper are a cross between a Post-It note and wall paper. There seems to be a temporary state of permanence with these scribbling broad sides that force me to make progress on the variety of projects that I have going on at any given time. Working on multiple accounts and numerous projects, this is an essential process in place that keeps my mind from focusing on one task too long or straying off and concentrating on a non-priority.

So now, between the random pieces of paper pinned above my desk and the large swaths of note paper stuck to the wall behind me, my office is resembling a chaotic collection of thoughts and tasks that may be foreign to some but I have found is quite common for those in my line of work. It’s basically like a sane version of “A Beautiful Mind” with a less socially awkward cast of characters. Of course, we all have our days when reality takes a back seat to whatever scenario we find ourselves in or requests that we receive from clients. I guess you could say that the most insane part of this job and the way my office looks is the volume of work that it represents.

Long Night At The Casino

Last night was yet another late night in my tux but, unlike most evenings, this time I was not at the lodge. After the usual work day yesterday it was time to spruce up and head to the Valley Forge Casino for a work related event… The Enterprise Awards. Basically, it was an entire event recognizing some of the great companies from throughout the Philadelphia area. Of course, I was rooting for our clients to receive recognition but really it was just a great time seeing everything that is being accomplished and the innovation that is being fostered in this commonly overlooked market.

Maybe it is because I grew up in the area or because my focus day in and day out is on this industry, but there are really some impressive projects, companies, and innovations happening in this region of the Commonwealth. While many people were there to cross their fingers and hope for a victory for one company or another, and to a certain extent I was doing that too, but it was not the primary driver for me. It wasn’t even the hope of finding new business or prospects (we currently have a very healthy roster of clients). Last night was about meeting people and getting to know what they can offer not just to us but to our clients.

As soon as I got my nametag and walked into the VIP reception (the benefit of my company being one of the event sponsors) I immediately sought out people to talk to that I didn’t see throughout the course of my usual week. Now, I am not a very outgoing person and I don’t have a big personality which is probably why I was never any good at sales but I enjoy meeting people and getting to know them a little. It helps that, for some reason, people feel comfortable talking with me and discussing all the intricacies not only of their business but of moments in their life from the previous week.

It was also a night to finally put faces to names as there were a few people in attendance whom I had spoken with over the phone and through email but, for some reason or another, we had never been able to get together in person. The most important of which is the man who introduced me to my current boss (she is cringing as she reads that word) and really got me back into the profession that I am passionate about. Sometimes it is not about getting new business for the company or even making connections, sometimes the best thing that can happen at events like this is the ability to thank someone properly, face to face.

Queries With A Side Of Questions

Throughout the day, questions lined up one after another. It all began early in the morning when my wife and I came across a few questions that we will have to consider throughout the week before even approaching an answer. Nothing that hasn’t been discussed before but it was a time that we just need to make an assessment and rethink some of the resent events (mostly revolving around apartment hunting but also how we need to adjust how we are spending our time). A theme that began at home would carry throughout my day.

Why do I have to go to New Jersey?

I have been able to avoid venturing into New Jersey for nearly two years. So, why did I venture across the river? It was to ask questions. We had drafted a number of probing questions for a client last week and today we were finally able to drive over and ask those questions, sift through the answers, and color the stories that we will be pitching over the next several months about our client. We conduct these sessions with all our clients and finding the answers to these questions, even the obvious ones, which help to clarify both new and old directions in the PR program.

By midafternoon I was back in the office and, more importantly, back in Pennsylvania. And what did I find in my email upon my return. That’s right. More questions. In two separate emails actually.

The first series of questions were actually from a reporter for a client (a different one than the client I just met with in the other state). Any of you familiar with PR knows that my next step was to spend some time drafting the initial responses. With the exception of a few moments here and there (we will get to that in a minute), I spent pretty much the remainder of the afternoon drafting those responses and putting in the work to create as little work as possible for our client.

What occupied those other moments during the afternoon was another email that contained even more questions. This time it was a list of things sent over from my MIL realtor regarding the apartment that my wife and I are hoping to rent. As it turns out, the owner had a few questions regarding both some of our debt and our recent employment history. Well, the real focus was on the employment record as they had already turned down an application based on that factor alone.

I felt like Albert Brooks’ character in ‘Defending Your Life’. We haven’t done anything wrong, you know I have basically worked whatever job would pay the bills, but it wasn’t the preferred employment history so it was, by default, wrong. Never mind the fact that we remained current on all our bills, payments, and, of course, rent.

Oh well, such is reality. Now we will wait and see what results from all the answers given throughout the day and if any more questions come about. Basically, this is when the interesting part starts.  

 

A Night Filled With Fog

It never fails, there is always something that I am overlooking at any given moment when it comes to all the projects that are up in the air. There are two things that make this situation worse…. neglecting the same project over and over again and having my schedule thrown off by the weather or some other weekly interruption. Unfortunately, I find myself in a situation when both of these factors have converged on a single project and now my rear end is getting particularly toasty as it sizzles in the fire.

I don’t know what it is about this project. While it involved writing, which is usually not a problem, it is something that I have never written before and for a client that can be very particular in the content that we create for them. There have been little pieces completed here and there but I can seem to get any momentum going to see it through to the end. It’s almost like instant writers block as soon as I open the document and poise my fingers above the keyboard.

Even now, as I write this blog with a certain amount of fluidity, whenever the thought of that project comes to mind my fingers slow and hesitate before striking the letters. I don’t know if I have ever experienced this sensation to this extent in the past but I hope that it is a onetime deal. However, I have a feeling that this is probably not going to be the case as similar projects are will be materializing on the calendar shortly and the vicious cycle will most likely repeat itself.

If this was a matter segregated from the rest of my work I would be annoyed but not really concerned. I guess you could say that is an unrealistically optimistic statement. This problem does impact the rest of my work both for this client and for the other accounts that I work on. Heck, it even impacts this blog and brings a certain amount of fogginess to the creative process in all aspects of my writing.

In my work process, I need to be able to see the end point, I need to know where the writing needs to go. When visibility is limited, it is incredibly difficult to reach the finish line in an efficient manner. Personally, especially when writing these posts, I need to be able to see each step. Even those short distances are obscured by the haze. Overall, it makes writing a slow and sometimes tedious process. Even now, I am incredibly tired and so I am going to bring this post to a quick and abrupt end.