It’s official. I’m an athlete! Of course, that doesn’t mean that I broke any records or medaled in my age group. It does, however, mean that I can run a half marathon and I did! I had three goals for this challenge: keep a good solid pace with no stopping, complete in 2.35 hours and finish with a smile. Nothing else mattered. August 1 marked the big day—over 25,000 runners stepped up to the line to complete Chicago’s Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon benefiting the American Cancer Society. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day—skies were sunny and, even with a chill in the morning air, the temps were perfect for a long run.

The starting line: It was early. When you plan to run 13.1 miles, you don’t want to risk over exhaustion. The early morning weather was perfect. We got to our corral at 5:30 am and at around 7 we were off. Over 25,000 runners participated this year. I’d never been in such a large run. Do we look focused?

Mile 5: We felt good. I was comfortable and Sarah and I were having a great time listening to the bands and people watching. We took advantage of every water station and slowed down when we needed to. The atmosphere was just remarkable. Our support group (boyfriends and fiancés) was waiting at the 5-mile mark, cheering and applauding. It felt so good to see their smiling, proud faces.

Mile 10: This was the mile that was really tough. This is where you (the runner) switch from running with your training in mind, to running with your heart. It started to become a mental challenge for me. My body ached. My hips were sore. I pushed though it. We never walked. We pressed on.

The Finish Line: I’m really sore in this picture but you’d never guess. We all were sore and tired, but it was important for us to finish strong. It was an exhilarating feeling to hear the crowd as we neared the end. The last mile was the toughest mile of my life. I kept trying to make myself pick it up, but my legs were dead. My goal was two hours and 35 minutes, and I finished just 10 minutes shy (bathroom breaks and sore legs were the culprit.) Our smiles were a bit tired at the end, but we were proud!

A special thanks to my running team: Amy C., Robin, Sarah, Barb, Andrea, Abby and Janet. I couldn’t have done this without you. A shout out to Amy B. (our trainer) whose motivation and encouragement was what helped me maintain endurance and focus. You’re tough–but it’s worth it.

To be honest, I’m not sure if can see myself doing another 13-mile distance run again. I know what to expect now and have ideas on how I could improve my training. Maybe I will down the road. Truth is—I don’t consider myself a runner.

So, what’s next for me? Well, something even more challenging (in my eyes) … Beach Body’s INSANITY®. Yes, my friends, I’m taking the Insanity 60-day challenge starting the week after Labor Day weekend. I’m looking to shed off more fat while maintaining muscle mass, strength and endurance. Stay tuned for the journey updates. I’m sure it will be tough.

I hope our journey has inspired you to set a fitness goal. No matter how long or short the journey, the feeling at the finish line is unreal!

The Reed family and I at the Hoop-Dee-Doo musical at Fort Wilderness.

My boyfriend’s family and I took a trip to Disney World in Orlando, Florida last week. I hoped the trip would help us both get away from the hustle and bustle of our workweeks, my demanding marathon training, and give us some time to be with family.

Disney World is a magical place for children, but this trip made it a magical place for me also. While we stood in long lines, waited our turn to get on yet other rides and heave through crowds of people, I saw a group of teenage girls laughing and giggling like most teens do. They were headed to one of those coaster rides at Epcot, I’m sure fully anticipating that this one would be even better than the last. Then I noticed something very familiar. I too (many times), was laughing and giggling. It took me back to the days when I didn’t pay bills or watch what I eat, hold a full-time job, do laundry or maintain a 401K. I love being an adult, but it felt good to leave that all behind for a few days and just kick back and relax.

We returned from our four-day trip full of stories. We rode the fast rides, designed our own roller coasters, flew with Dumbo, traveled around the world, watched parades, took lots of photos, ate ice cream, swam and laughed all the way. As I talk with friends and co-workers about our trip, my mind kept going back to that little girl I used to be.

Sometimes these trips are all you need to appreciate family and the loved ones you have and leave the real world behind … only if just for a moment.

Technorati Tags: adult life, Disney world, importance of vacations for the busy professional, Random "Trish" Thoughts

So, I set out on a voyage (if you will) to explore this mobile application by, well, using it. It’s only been a month and I’m still discovering the benefits. I understand that it’s user-based and location-based, so I have to use the check-in feature. It’s very similar to a game. Turns out that Foursquare is more than a cell phone application that’s getting Internet buzz, it’s actually helping propel the location-based mobile platform with unique creativity. Now to me, that’s intriguing. I realized there are several ways it’s changing our mobile space.

“Who has the most active lifestyle?”

One thing I’ve noticed about Foursquare is that it inspires users to lead more active and interesting lives. Here’s what I mean: Foursquare makes you check-in to physical places. That “check-in” reaches all of your friends (like Twitter and Facebook), and tells them what you’re doing, AND actually where you’re doing it.

The impact? A friend of mine who also uses Foursquare puts it this way, “Multiply that single check-in by the thousands of other people who each regularly update their location status, and you’ve now put experience on a map, socially.” That’s a pretty great engagement tool.

I’m a ‘regular’

Foursquare implements mayorships for each business that is entered in to the application. To become a mayor of a venue, you need to have the most check-ins. I haven’t discovered what the benefits are to becoming a “mayor” but I imagine it’s pretty cool. You probably establish status and reputation. Now, with foursquare, we can actually prove our brand reputation? That’s interesting.

Customer Relations

Just like other social media tools, Foursquare is helping make connections and improving customer relations. Foursquare users can contribute to this “relationship” by sharing tips and to-dos with the entire Foursquare space. Information is being shared and stored by users. It’s like a recommendation, rating or even comments. I see the value so far.

All of these social aspects of Foursquare can really be beneficial to a business, especially retail business. I imagine Foursquare could even be used to incorporate social media rewards into their customer loyalty initiatives. And maybe Foursquare participants are already doing this. Again, I need to do more research. I could even see the check-in feature as cash exchange or transaction perhaps.

Do you use Foursquare? If so, how do you use it? Does it benefit your business, company or brand?

Technorati Tags: do you use Foursquare?, Foursquare, Random "Trish" Thoughts, social media technology, What can Foursquare do for me?

I was in a “relationship building” meeting with one of the local businesses that I keep in touch with from time-to-time about their membership with Forward Janesville Inc., Janesville’s chamber of commerce. The meeting was to discuss membership discounts, events, community initiatives and opportunities. It ended up as a personal interview about myself. Don’t get me wrong I don’t mind talking about my company or myself when the time is right. I expect that, given my profession. But I was intrigued with the question, mainly because I had never really thought about that before.

As communicators, we know how important it is to have an “elevator pitch” and to be able to explain what it is that we do for a living. I do believe it’s important to be able to describe what we (or our business) can bring to the table in a clear, concise way. I just didn’t realize I’d ever be asked in only a few words. I have prepared myself for next time. Thing is, my mentor (and teacher) in college encouraged us to do just this in an assignment. I wish I had kept that paper. I’m sure it’s on a flash drive somewhere. It would be interesting to see what I said. Have those words changed? Not sure.

So how do you come up with just a few words? I took some time to look back through my recent LinkedIn recommendations, emails and “feel good” files and looked for common themes. If you don’t have recommendations or testimonials, you could get feedback by asking people you work with for just one word to describe you.

I came up with my few words to describe me: enthusiastic, creative, leader, motivator. Have you ever pondered this? Who are you, in just a few words? Share below.

Image provided by pewresearch.org

Technorati Tags: in a few words, professional advice for communicators and business professionals, Random "Trish" Thoughts, Who are you

Pictured above: Me and Amy at the Jingle Bell 5K in December 2009.

About 15 months ago, my friend Amy and I, were running the trail with co-workers one hot, summer day. As we ran, our group leader, ran the trail just floating along. Soft on her feet. She talked with no hesitation, without exhaustion. Terry stepped ever so lightly, as though she were running over glass. I marveled at her movements. I remember feeling so jealous of her effortless endurance and pace. I turned to Amy. “How does she do it?” I puffed. (We were only a few miles in.) She smiled: “She trains every week. It takes time. You’ll see, we’ll get there, too.”

I don’t usually do this. I don’t use my blog to write about too many personal things but it’s been so heavy on my mind and in each and every little thing that I do that I found it impossible to suppress. As many of you know, I’m training for a half marathon in August. As I got my last two training schedules from my trainer today, I couldn’t help but ponder over the fact that it’s already been five months. I’ve been training 6 days a week, one, sometimes two hours a day, preparing my body to endure a two-hour race and it’s almost actually here. I started working out a few years ago, just to live healthier and ended up running a few 5Ks. Now, 7 pounds lighter, a few inches thinner and running more than 10 miles per week, I realize what my journey has become. My journey to live healthier has turned into a true testament of my mental and physical capabilities. I’m so proud to say, I’M REALLY RUNNING THIS THING.

I now run more than I did 15 months ago. I owe a lot of that motivation to Amy and my co-workers. Without them, especially Amy, I wouldn’t be as disciplined as I am. We’re running 2-3 times per week. We’re making time for cross training in between, like group strength and Turbo Kick, which has increased our endurance and speed. It’s really amazing to see how far we’ve come.

It’s been tough. Between trying to fight fatigue, cramps, blisters, dehydration, exhaustion (at times) or that late night ice cream bar, I still go back at it, rarely missing a class or training session. My eating habits have completely changed. I guess you could say I’ve made exercise and healthy eating a regular habit. A habit that will never really go away. At least I hope.

But despite what I do or don’t do, I’ve stopped judging myself all the time. For those of you that know me, I get competitive at times. My goal is simple: Run 13.2 miles. Enjoy it. Savor it. Feel accomplished. Running is exhilarating. The more I train my body, the better I feel physically, mentally and emotionally. So for me, is well worth the aches and pains.

Wish me luck at the Chicago half marathon!

Technorati Tags: 2010 Chicago half marathon, how to train for a half marathon, Random "Trish" Thoughts, training for a half marathon, well worth the aches and pains

Public relations and advertising are two very different fields that are many times confused for the same thing, very similar or just as effective as the other. We all know that. I’m not saying advertising is the wrong way to go. I highly suggest ad placement. A well-placed advertisement can bring exposure to a brand, business or event. Absolutely. However, good publicity or media relations campaign is a far more economical way to get a very different type of media exposure. I’m a “PR gal”—which way did you think I’d go? Here’s the thing: An ad is an ad and they work, but publicity is news. And news, in my opinion, is taken more seriously.

Here are seven reasons that publicity can prove to be more effective than an ad.

1. Publicity is free while advertising can be costly
2. A media article often times asserts more credibility than a paid ad
3.  Prestigious magazines, larger newspapers, TV, radio start to cover you over time
4. You’re offered a column in a magazine or paper for your (or company’s) expertise
5. You establish yourself apart from your competitors who don’t get publicity
6. Prospects, target markets and customers recognize your brand (“I saw the article in…”)
7. Most importantly, more people pay attention to your message

That’s my list. What would you add? Write your reasons below.

Technorati Tags: customers recognize your brand, establish yourself apart from competitors, media article, media messages, PR gal, public realtions writing, Random "Trish" Thoughts, seven reasons publicity is better than ads

Email is becoming the standard communication channel these days. That’s nothing new. Whether you’re a law enforcement officer/worker, marketer, student or online worker, you’re probably already spending a good percentage of your day in front of a computer and using email as your main means of communication, right? But just because you use email, doesn’t mean you’re doing it right, and most importantly, most effectively. If you rely on email to communicate as much as I do, you should ask yourself these 7 questions:

1. Do you limit to one screen or less?
If you answered yes to this question, you’re probably already writing short and succinct emails. That’s good. Whenever you are about to send an email, pause for a second and analyze if you could eliminate unnecessary words, phrases or even complete paragraphs. Most people will begin to scan rather than reading the email if the reader sees words running off the bottom of the screen, potentially missing the key elements of the message. Don’t worry about going straight to the point. In fact, that’s what you should do. Most people won’t be offended because you removed the “small talk.”

2. Do you write in bullets or sentences when there’s a lot to cover?
If you must write a long email (for whatever reason) you should use bullets. Online usability tests show that when people read messages off the computer screen, they find it easier to read and RETAIN the information if it’s broken down into bullet points, rather then long paragraphs.

3. Do you give the “meat and potatoes” in the subject line?
This one is so important because if you don’t craft the message of your subject line carefully, you won’t need too much in the body of the email. Here’s a good formula I follow for the subject line: subject + active verb + object. And try to be as specific as you can. For example, “Cancelled” is a bad subject line; “April mkg. meeting cancelled to May 9” is better.

4. When you send from your iPhone, do you tell people?
Some people think this is self-gloating but I disagree. If you’re a smart phone user, make sure you include a tagline by your signature telling recipients you’re using an electronic device. It will help explain why the message is short, possibly unclear (I cringe—you really should never misspell, but it happens.) If you don’t, your message may come off as rude.

5. Do you re-read and run your spell check?
I hope you said yes. Seems like common sense but most people are in a hurry and forget. It’s very unprofessional. Make it a habit to re-read and spell check every email before you send it. You should always be looking for errors, spelling mistakes, missing information, missing attachments and so on. I’m guilty of this too, folks! I’m no saint. But these mistakes will hurt your credibility. And, well, once you hit “send,” it’s hard to recall the message.

6. Do you ask questions?
I hope you do. Don’t use email as a one-way medium. Just like social media, the true power of email is its interactive capabilities. Managers, directors and supervisors: Do remember, this is a two-way street. If you’re going to encourage interaction with your employees, be sure you take time to answer them. If you don’t, it will set you up for possible reliability failure.

7. Do you organize, archive and store messages?
I made this mistake when I first started as a copywriter. Big mistake. Huge. I didn’t have evidence of a project/deadline and it really cost me my credibility in the long run. Make sure to organize, archive and save important messages. Outlook, Entourage, Gmail, Yahoo, they all have great saving and filing capabilities. If you’re like me, you don’t always have time to read all messages but you know you need to refer back. For example, if you just created an account for an online service like Wordpress, you know they will send you a confirmation (of course), containing your user name and password. Archive these messages right way. An alternative to archiving is simply marking the messages as read, so they stay visible in your inbox.

What do you do to effectively communicate using email? Please share below.

Image courtesy of http://toonpool.com

Technorati Tags: effective email communication tips, Random "Trish" Thoughts

Tired, zonked, drained. All great words to describe how we feel from time-to-time while at work, home or just doing every day things. Lately, I’ve been feeling really drained. Not sure if it is my schedule, stress or my workouts (training for a marathon.) Feeling tired, especially at work, can be a heavy on your life—it drags your workload down, lowers productivity and strengthens stress levels. If you’re a highly active person like me, it’s the worse feeling. However, over the years of living and breathing my profession, I’ve discovered a few great things you can do to get the energy back, quickly. Do remember though, folks, sometimes you just need some rest. Be sure to be mindful of when your body needs sleep and relaxation.

5 quick things you can do to re-energize:

Knock out distractions: Again, this is always good advice—but when you’re tired, it has triple affects. Stay out of your email, don’t log into Facebook and don’t keep taking breaks from the task at hand. It’s so easy to get distracted when you’re not focusing well and it only makes it harder to concentrate. Social media can be a BIG distraction. So is television. Try to stay away from “just checking Facebook” and spending the next hour looking at your cousin’s holiday pics. We’re all guilty of this while at work. So every time your attention wanders, direct it straight back to what you’re supposed to be working on.

Workout: If you’re feeling sleepy, the worst thing to do is to sit down somewhere warm and comfy—you’ll almost certainly nod off. Instead, make sure you move around frequently. Get up and stretch, go for a brisk walk and get your body moving. This is a good idea if you get that mid-afternoon slump: walking around will shake it off.

Take a Shower (or freshen up): Getting into a shower will really wake you up when you’re feeling sluggish. If you’re struggling to even get out of bed, head straight for the shower: as soon as you’re under that running water, you’ll feel considerably awake. If you work from home, a mid-afternoon shower can be a great pick-me-up when you’re tired. If you’re in an office, splashing your face with cold water, or freshening up your makeup can be a good refreshing alternative.

Do the easier stuff: If you’re feeling really tired but you still need to get a project done, try doing more routine tasks: things like replying to emails, filing documents, organizing your desk, market research and so on. Often, your energy will naturally pick back up while you work.

Chat with others. Pick up your cell phone and call a friend or go next door and make small talk with a co-worker. Some of you may consider this tip a distraction, I tend to think it’s a great way to boost creative thinking. If you’re like me, you like to collaborate on a daily basis. We’re communicators, right?

So, what works for you? We all have our remedies. Please share below.

Image courtesy of http://istockphoto.com

Technorati Tags: communicators' advice, how to energize when feeling tired, social media, Trish Srkam

Multiple studies still show that consumers and journalists are searching for and reading press releases. Thank god! So, optimizing press releases for a specific audience makes it easier to find online and therefore, more of an asset for communicating news and getting traffic to your company or client’s Web site. As we all know, the value of a press release has undergone a few changes over the years. However, press releases provide a lot of content to news search engines and can rank well in Google, Yahoo or Bing. I’ve been doing massive amounts of research for my company. I’m trying to find the best media platform(s) for online newsrooms, PR distribution, list building and monitorization. I’ve also been researching other competitor sites, and local and regional PR/marketing sites to find out how others communicate their news. I’m kinda overloaded with information - so while it’s fresh in my mind, I must reiterate how important online optimization of our news … really is. It only makes sense for marketing and PR people to understand and learn how to make press release writing easier to find through keyword optimization.

Frequently forgotten press release optimization tips:
• Clearly define the goal and target audience of the release. Public relations 101: it’s essential for every press announcement

• Use Google Analytics to find popular keywords. Find target phrases that work with your press release and tag them

• Add new media to the release. Like a photo, video or podcast in addition to the copy

• Use URL tracking tools like tinyURL, bit.ly or ow.ly

• Post to your online newsroom

• Write a blog version then include a link to the press release in your online newsroom. Same for Twitter, Facebook, Friendfeed or YouTube

• Distribute the release via a wire service

• Create a social media version of the press release. Personally, I like PitchEngine. But that’s up to you. (FYI – they offer a 30 day free trial membership if you want a taste)

• Monitor how the press release ranks online (e.g. social media mentions, clicks and other outcomes via Google Reader or Google Alerts)

It’s important to know that press releases are often picked up that have links embedded into other Web sites and blogs as content. It can result in direct traffic to your site. Remember, compelling content usually attracts more links so make sure headlines and your first sentences are creative and eye-catching.

Other great resources for online newsrooms and keyword optimization:

HOW TO: Set up a free online monitorization system - PRsarahevans.com

Pull PR and newsroom optimization tactics - toprankblog.com

How to build a better online newsroom – journalistics.com

Image courtesy of widgetblogger.co.cc

Technorati Tags: press release optimization tips, Public Relations Writing, Random "Trish" Thoughts

Many times, we get stuck in the same routine. The same song and dance. Same thing, different day. We’re all busy, overworked and probably over-tired so it becomes easier to stick to what’s worked in the past. It gets tough to look outside the box … between clients, meetings, events, research, pitching, email, etc—it’s even hard to find time for anything not work related these days. It’s easy to become so inundated in your routine that you never try to add to it. In fact, if I could give you a dollar for  every time I hear “That’s the way it’s always been done,” or “It’s just easier this way,” I’d be rich!

We all recognize it, right? With all that set aside, why are we so resistant to change? Why do we like routine so much? Why do we make excuses? I’m not saying routine is bad. In fact, routine should be your solid foundation. But you should also be willing to try new things. When it comes to creative thinking (especially if you’re in the advertising, marketing or PR industry) you should live a lifestyle or do a job that inspires you, motivates you or impacts others in a positive way. In my opinion, positive change comes easier that way.

Here’s how I challenge the norm:

If you’re stuck in an idea, open a dictionary, a magazine, newspaper or read a blog. Even if it doesn’t relate to the project.

Take a shower. Don’t think about it. Sometimes the best ideas come when you’re not thinking about them at all.

Don’t watch TV. It’s a destraction. Many of you will disagree. I think it just confuses us.

Bust out some tunes. Not death metal, but something smooth and upbeat.

Do something that you fear or doubt. The overwhelming sense of triump will leave you feeling like you can conquer anything. For me, it keeps the momentum going.

If you can’t focus, do some squats (or a walk would work). Find something that will get your muscles moving and your heart rate up.

Call up an old colleague or mentor. Or get out of your chair and chat with another colleague down the hall and shoot the breeze.

So, I pose to you, are you a change-agent or a routine- performer? Why? What helps you look outside the box at work, in life? All thoughts welcome below.

Photo courtesy of http://mediabistro.com

Technorati Tags: be a change-agent, Public Relations Writing, Random "Trish" Thoughts