I should be posting this to Facebook or Twitter right now instead of a blog. Why?

The Poynter Institute has just released this report showing the highest click-through days/times for Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.  Peak time for Facebook and Twitter are right now: 2:30 p.m. on a Wednesday.

This will change how we schedule our postings. Have you seen anything different in your campaigns? Click through for neato graphs.

Bitly data shows the best times to post links to Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr

Go for the Maroon and Gold

Communicators Forum 2012 Conference

Thursday, July 26, 2012
7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
St. Paul Continuing Education and Conference Center
Parking Map and Directions

The early bird deadline has been extended! Register by May 18 »

Session topics and speakers are now available online »

Ever been put on the spot to produce a great idea...? And, realized that your creative juices were not flowing? Drumming up creativity can be a tricky thing, especially if when you get stuck on these hang ups (http://www.copyblogger.com/mental-blocks-creative-thinking/).

That's why it's important to put aside some time during your week to exercise your creative muscles.... starting with this: 29 ways to stay creative (http://vimeo.com/24302498).

Also, don't forget the UMCF annual conference is coming up July 26!  And, we're pleased to announce that Beth Perro-Jarvis and Mary Van Note, Partners of Ginger Consulting, will be leading a session on creativity.

P.S. Check out this cool story about Ginger Consulting on Star Tribune (http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/148329235.html).

Screen printing. This is quite possibly one of the coolest forms of visual communication. Conveying a message or brand through images is compelling and, if you're an art enthusiast like me, more engaging than other forms of communication (when done well).

A great example is Twin Cities illustrator and print maker Adam Turman who tells the story of biking in the Twin Cities through his collection of cycling prints.

Check out how to create the final product in this screen printing tutorial written by Turman.

And, plan to attend Turman's UMCF conference session "Let's Print" where he'll talk about the process of screen printing, but more importantly, he'll be teaching how to pull some actual prints that attendees can take with home.

Register by April 23 for the discounted rate.

In celebration of Beautiful U Day which is happening next week, some sustainable links:

• Companies are revolutionizing sustainable product design by using environmental life cycle assessment to benchmark their product impacts.
• Heard about the U's RFID program? Faculty and staff can bicycle towards points to reduce 2013 medical program rates.
• See art out in the open and year-round at Mankato's CityArt Walking Sculpture Tour.
• RiverFIRST is the winning design proposal for the Minneapolis riverfront. Watch the design team's video and learn about the 2010 international design competition which was sponsored by the Mpls. Park Board and Parks Foundation, with creative partners the U of M College of Design and Walker Art Center.

It seems I can't do anything in the communications world without bumping elbows with yet another one of the billion social media tools popping up these days. In the crowded room of businesses, college departments, and organizations all screaming for your attention through their various social media, it can be hard to decide what tools are best or applicable to you and your place of work. Here's a quick article on some of the newer buzz-tools out there: the new Facebook Timeline for businesses, Pinterest, and Instagram.

What's your take on these new platforms? Do you see an opportunity to use them in your workplace?

Email marketing. It's a quick and direct way to communicate with your audience. But, when should it be used and what's the messaging like? Integrating email marketing with a broader communications plan (probably including both traditional and new media) is often key to its success. Also, writing engaging and relevant messages is a must for standing out in the flurry of emails.

Check out ten best practices for email marketing.  And, plan to attend the UMCF conference session on email marketing, "Having a Blast: Making Mass Email Work for You," with U of M University Relations' electronic communications specialist Pete Wiringa.

Learn about the conference agenda and session topics. Register by April 23 for the discounted rate.

What would you guess is the personality type of a communicator? Probably extrovert, right? But there are many of us in varying job functions, from graphic design to PR. Let's see how it shakes out:

Social media is a constantly changing suite of tools. While each platform offers communicators valuable ways to engage with their audience and deliver key messages, managing all of them can be a challenge. That's why developing a social media strategy is crucial to posting successful updates.

Learn how to build a social media strategy in three steps and plan to attend the UMCF conference session on developing social media strategy. Rita Greenberg, interactive media specialist at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, will present.

To register for the conference, click here. If you register by April 23, you'll pay the discounted rate of $120. Go for the Maroon and Gold!

In light of the upcoming "Go for the Maroon and Gold" conference, happening a day before the 2012 Olympic Games begin, some Olympic design-related links:

• 39 Olympic Logos From 1924 to 2012 
• Summer Olympic logos from 1896 to 2012, including many of the more colorful posters and logos
• The London Olympic Games Organising Committee on the 2012 Olympic brand: "The number 2012 is our brand. It is universal and understandable worldwide."
• According to an Olympic medals timeline, the London 2012 design is the largest Summer Olympics medal to date.
  
• Finally, who doesn't love the 2012 Olympics logo?

And don't forget to register for the conference. Rates go up after April 23!

I'll admit right now that I'm a Copyblogger junkie. Writers, if you don't follow this uber helpful copywriting blog, DO IT NOW. Seriously. Someday, after you've been twirling in your swivel chair for 30 minutes singing "la-la-la-la-la" after hitting writer's block, you'll thank me. Whether it's a headline that isn't packing a punch, an uncooperative blog post, or simply a complete lack of focus due to the unseasonably warm March weather, Copyblogger will pop up in your inbox with an incredibly insightful, clear, and concise article to pull you out of your rut. Here are a few recent articles that I've found incredibly valuable:

The 10-Minute Technique to Becoming a More Productive Writer On the importance of having a personal long-term writing vision in order to help you become more efficient with your daily writing tasks.

3 Simple Storytelling Methods That Can Do Your Selling For You On the power of storytelling in sales copy, broken down into the personal story, the historical story, and the "meet the guru" story.

8 Quick Tips for Writing Bullet Points People Actually Want to Read  On the importance of effective, readable bullet points in a digital, "Twitterized" world.

Enjoy, folks.

A few years ago a Forum conference session focused on the mindset of millennials. We were told that they are into their group, the betterment of their community, being part of the gang. New research is showing that perception may be way off. Since many of us communicate to millennials (and work with them here in the Forum, :-) ) here's that article, from The Chronicle.

Millennials Are More 'Generation Me' Than 'Generation We,' Study Finds

By Joanna Chau

Millennials, the generation of young Americans born after 1982, may not be the caring, socially conscious environmentalists some have portrayed them to be, according to a study described in the new issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

The study, which compares the traits of young people in high school and entering college today with those of baby boomers and Gen X'ers at the same age from 1966 to 2009, shows an increasing trend of valuing money, image, and fame more than inherent principles like self-acceptance, affiliation, and community. "The results generally support the 'Generation Me' view of generational differences rather than the 'Generation We,'" the study's authors write in a report published today, "Generational Differences in Young Adults' Life Goals, Concern for Others, and Civic Orientation."

Continue reading

Thank you to all who have commented on my previous post about the Communications Job Study. In addition many people contacted me privately. I was surprised by the disappointments that people shared with me because the process in my own unit was as expected and drama-free.

We derive a great deal of pride and identity from the work we do; besides that, it's our livelihood. The results of the job study are a big deal.

I am reaching out to the team that led the Communications Job Study to see if we can host an open meeting for Forum members to ask their questions. More on that to come. Meanwhile, a number of people posted questions about the job descriptions so they could compare. Here is a PDF of 6 of those jobs that I was able to put together. If you find a link to these online or want to share additional descriptions please contact me.

JobClassSpecifications.pdf

"Go for the Maroon and Gold"

Thursday, July 26, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., St. Paul Continuing Education and Conference Center

• Register for the conference »

This year's keynote is Michele Norris host of NPR's "All Things Considered." To us communicators, she is an Olympian. She has done so much to advance the field and reach her goals that she is an inspiration, much like a traditional Olympian, to communications professionals.

• Read Michele Norris' biography »

Tune in on the UMCF Facebook page and Twitter feed for weekly training tips--the tips will preview the conference and provide helpful tricks of our trade along the way!

Everyone who participated in the job study last August should have received the news about their new classification by yesterday. So, how did it go? What do you think, after all is said and done? Did you land where you thought you would? Are you disappointed by anything?

Let's have a forum for everyone's thoughts here in the comments section.

A great big thank you to Marlo Welshons, the Communications Director for the University Libraries. She answered my questions about Google Forms both for this blog post but also following the recent UMCF event about surveys. Our office uses a survey tool for a variety of purposes including RSVPs for events and Marlo explained how they use Google Forms for that purpose. Since Google Forms is more university-friendly than a third-party survey tool, I figured I needed to learn more about how that works! Her wisdom has been helpful for me in my department and I thought we could all benefit from her experience. Do others have helpful hints regarding RSVPs using Google Forms?

When did you start using Google Forms and why them instead of another program or service?

We started using Google Forms last summer for the simple reason that they were easily available now that we've all moved to Google Docs. We didn't research other alternatives, we just started playing around with the Google Apps suite to see how it worked and what was possible.

What are your primary purposes for using Google Forms (i.e., surveys, registrations, etc.)?

Although I have used Google Forms to create a few basic surveys to gather information from project groups I'm working with, the single most frequent use is providing a customized, online RSVP form for our many events.

I have to credit our graphic designer, Jen Peters, who figured out how to embed a Google form in a web page (when in form editing mode, select "embed" from the "More actions" drop-down). She created a form to let people RSVP to a retirement party for one of our senior administrators, and then embedded it in an HTML wrapper that looked like the HTML email invitation she had created for the event. Attendees really liked being able to RSVP online, and also that there was a field where they could write a congratulations message to the event honoree. We've since implemented this for nearly all of our Friends of the Libraries events.

You can see an RSVP example of this in an email we've developed for an upcoming poetry reading.

Who in your office manages your Google Forms?

We don't have a central manager for using these. For event RSVP forms, we create the form and give edit rights to the event organizer(s). We also give view rights to other staff who may wish to know how many people are coming, or if specific people will be in attendance.

What benefits do you see from using Google Forms?

The coordinator for our Friends of the Libraries events has seen a tremendous benefit from this new process. In the past, attendees were asked to RSVP by phone or email. The time saved by no longer processing those email and voicemail messages is huge, and she uses the spreadsheet created by the form to generate name tags and keep track of other details related to managing the event guest list.

Additionally, we ask attendees to provide us with an email address or phone number in case we need to contact them with changes to an event date or location. This has proven helpful because we can suppress the email addresses of those who have already responded from the mailing data when we send reminder emails. We have also on occasion used the email addresses of those who have RSVP'd to send a confirmation email with customized parking information and directions to the event.

Do you have some tips for other communicators who want to use Google Forms but aren't sure of how or why?

A couple of things we've learned from doing this:

1. Be sure to customize the submission confirmation message (access this from the same "More actions" drop-down for getting the embed code). We use the confirmation message to repeat the time and location information and contact information for the event organizer. For example, the confirmation message for the Pankake Poetry Reading email reads:

Thank you for your reservation.

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. in Elmer L. Andersen Library, University of Minnesota, 222 21st Ave S, Minneapolis.

Please contact Lanaya Stangret at 612-624-9339 or stangret@umn.edu with any questions or concerns.

2. We make a copy of a previous RSVP form instead of starting from scratch with each new RSVP forms. If you do that, be sure to go into the associated spreadsheet and delete the rows that contain the information collected from the form you copied. If you simply delete the contents of those rows and not the rows themselves, then Google will insert the new data below the last row used by the previous form.

We learned this the hard way: we had a scare where we thought the form was not capturing the information from people who had RSVP'd, but luckily we thought to scroll down and discovered it all appeared starting with row 73 (72 people had filled out the RSVP form for the event that we'd used as the template for the new RSVP form).

Thanks to Christina Frazier from the Office of Planning and Analysis for sharing lots of helpful information about U of M survey policy and tools on Wednesday. It was interesting to hear about planning for the new U survey tool. The event had me wondering how many people are currently using UMSurvey and other survey tools.

As the new Marketing & Promotions Chair for the Communicators Forum, I've been having fun diving into the depths of Communicators Forum social media, especially Twitter. Social media has become an unexpected passion of mine over the last year or so, with daily use of it for my day job at Northrop Concerts and Lectures, and my side project, the literary website Hazel & Wren.

I've learned mostly by trial and error, and by watching and learning from expert tweeps as they grow with their following and gain momentum for their business or organization. But perhaps the most helpful for me are simple guidelines from other users that pop up in blog posts, articles, and more all over the internet, such as this one, which I stumbled upon last week, and passed on through the UMCF Twitter channel. And, as a bonus, here's a quick look at some things I've learned over the last year or so in my own guide: A Beginner's Twitter Guide to Domination in Five Steps. (Brace yourselves for the power of this knowledge.)

A Beginner's Twitter Guide to Domination in Five Steps:

1.) Follow like-minded people. This is the number one step to exponentially increase your number of followers. Search hashtags and topics to see who is talking about them, and follow them. Or, even better yet, find another organization similar in cause to you, and start following who they follow. Not everyone will follow you back, but the surprising majority do. (This means your description and recent tweets better be stellar, so these people are intrigued at first glance.)

2.) Curate lists. This has been the most helpful for me to not only more easily find quality content, but also for organizing my approach and to make sure that I'm diversifying my tweets. If you're unfamiliar with lists, what this means is that you create segmented categories of Twitter accounts that you follow, based on their content and/or area of interest. For example, I have a list for the Communicators Forum called "University Departments." Another could be called "Communications Publications." That way, you can just view the feed from that list's sources specifically, to narrow down and focus the constant stream of information coming in. You can make these lists public or private, and can call them whatever makes the most sense to you. These take time to curate, but are so worth it.

3.) Be smart with your retweets. Don't get overly click-happy with that retweet button. Yes, it's just so easy, but doing that too often can make it seem like you don't have any original content or thought, or, that you're just plain lazy. If you're going to retweet something, switch it up more often than not. Copy and paste the tweet into your own post, tag the owner with RT, and preface it with some your own commentary. This could be something as simple as "Especially agree with rule #3 RT @umcf: The Official Rules of Twitter Domination http://LINK_HERE". You can also start over completely with your own original tweet, and just tag whoever originally posted the link by ending your post with: "(via @umcf)." Just remember: your followers want to know what YOU (whether you are an individual, or the voice of an organization) think, not how many posts you can retweet in a minute.

4.) Use short links for original content. Here at the University, we have a fantastic link shortener, z.umn.edu. Why use short links for original content (i.e. your organization's blog posts, events, etc) specifically? Stats, my friends, stats. Through z.umn.edu short links (and others) you can then track who is clicking that specific link, and where those paths to your original content are starting from (Twitter, Facebook, emails, etc). This can be incredibly helpful when figuring out where your audience is getting their information. There are other link shortening services outside of the University, but many of them you have to pay for, especially if you want to customize your short links.

5.) Tweet at least 3-5 times a day. From what I've heard, tweeting about five times a day  (and not all at once) yields the most effective results. At that rate, you're not pushing people off the edge with endless tweets about your oh-so-amazing breakfast sandwich, and you're also making following you worthwhile with daily updates and insights. For some organizations, it can be tough to get up to five tweets per day, but just work in that direction. This doesn't have to be (and shouldn't be) solely original content. The main purpose of Twitter is to embrace and engage with your community, whatever it is. Retweet insightful posts from fellow professionals, engage with your followers by asking questions and starting conversations, seek out articles and sources related to your field or area of interest, and share it all with your community.

That's all for now, folks. Happy tweeting, and may the force be with you.

A few marketing communication lessons, in the form of a link round-up, surrounding Valentine's Day and branding.

The brand of your business is just a word until people come along and give it meaning.

Real brand love, like in life, is reserved for a special level of brand engagement and emotional impact.

Creating an emotional appeal with storytelling makes messages stronger.

Happy Valentine's Day!

T-minus 2 days and 5 hours until Superbowl XLVI. Are you excited for the Giants v. Patriots rematch, or are you like me, and more excited to see the new ads? I love seeing what creative advertisements companies pay millions for - sometimes the ads are great and sometimes they, well, aren't great.

Get a sneak peek at some of the Superbowl ads by going to the following link:

http://journalexpress.net/cnhi/x2053730301/Sneak-peek-at-this-years-hottest-Super-Bowl-ads

Happy Superbowl Weekend Forum Members!

Greetings fellow Communicators! If you were at the Experts Insights with Cyndy Brucato on Monday, you heard some exciting news about the Awards this year! If you weren't there, I guess I'll tell you now...

But first! Our new members might be curious about what the "awards" are. Maroon & Gold awards are presented annually to University of Minnesota Communicators Forum members whose work best embodies the University's core values: excellence, innovation, integrity, diversity, academic freedom, collaboration, sharing of knowledge, accountability, stewardship, and service. Awards are submitted annually, judged by an independent panel of outside experts in communications topics, and awarded during the annual conference.  Receiving an award is kind of a big deal...not only personally, but professionally. In this day and age where we are all justifying our value to our colleges and units, an award from the UMCF says to your leadership that you and your work are highly valued and respected.

Here is the UMCF Awards website, where you can read all about the categories, eligibility, etc. Please note that we are in the process of updating the pages.

So, the big news for 2012 is that awards are FEE FREE!! That's right! You do not have to pay a single cent towards awards submissions this year. That means you have no excuse not to enter all your fabulous work! The awards submission window is March 1-March 30. The one change to the process due to the free fees is that we had to do a little something different with the MIKE Award. The MIKE Award is the "People's Choice" award, voted on at the conference. In the past, it was an additional $5 fee for an already entered item. This year, we have decided to cap the MIKE entries at 30. Each college or unit may submit up to 2 entries to be considered for MIKE. These 30 entries are first come, first served, so don't procrastinate!

Our last bit of news is that we are adding a new subcategory to the Writing category. In the past, we have noticed that articles of a more technical nature were not receiving the recognition deserved because they weren't as "captivating" to the judges when compared to other work, like magazine features, etc. We feel that technical writing, while maybe not as glamorous as speech or feature writing, is very much worth recognition because when done well, it is really amazing. More information and criteria will be added to the website soon.

We'll be sharing more information on the Listserv once we get closer to awards submission month! Have a happy February!

Ed note: Melanie submitted all of her answers in pink. 

Job title: graphic designer

Which means: communicating with visuals rather than text, and enhancing text with visuals.

What do you like most about your job? besides my sweet iMac, working on diverse projects, and having a supervisor that encourages creative thinking

What's an average day like? gazing at a large screen, plugged in with headphones... I dive into a project. I do at least a dozen google image searches and thumbnail sketches everyday. I problem solve and spatially rearranging as often as Pandora has ads (which is a lot, and more than necessary). When I grab my prismacolor colored pencils or xacto knife it's as normal as someone else grabbing a calculator or opening a word document. My virtual canvas in InDesign, Illustrator or Photoshop gets filled with ideas that I bring to the client to be critiqued and then I refine for a final design. I work closely with my supervisor and communication colleagues who write the content for anything that has text... thank goodness, because I'm not a writer.

Is there an aspect of your job that's fulfilling? being able to come to work everyday and love what I do: solving design problems, working towards an end product, working with print materials, and expanding my knowledge by being forced outside my design "comfort zone"

How does what you do support the mission of the University? designing for Academic Support Resources (ASR) I have a diverse audience, ranging from the President and Provost to students and parents. I support the University's mission everyday through designing visuals for that audience. The designs are sometimes aesthetically pleasing, and other times my designs help to convey important information... information that helps make decisions about research, discovery, teaching, and learning.

I have been at the University since: student from 2004-2009, professionally from 2010-present

Why did you join the Forum and how are you involved? I was first introduced to the Forum as an Intern. My supervisor was on the committee and she let me do all the fun projects, including the program for the conference. I had such a great experience working with the committee, when it was presented to me to be on the committee this year I was excited to get involved again.

Family members: a crazy dog, a sister (and cat) that abandoned me for Williston ND, supportive parents, and a boyfriend

Hobbies: downhill skiing, eating sushi, shoe shopping, and downloading apps

What/who is your muse--what inspires, enthuses or drives you? the color pink, to be specific Pantone 226 C. I try to keep it minimal in my work, but when surrounded by pink I can't help but to be inspired!

People are always surprised to learn that I: used to HATE pink!

Where's home? La Crosse, WI

How would you like to be remembered (it's never too soon to think about mortality! Yay!)? As a creative mind who was slightly outspoken and loved pink!

Everyone likes validation. Validation is tangible evidence that what you do is valuable. For those in a creative field it's essential, if only because for most of us the money isn't validation enough (because it's not enough money). Social media is a shining example of the power of validation. The Facebook "like" button is founded on the principle. Twitter's retweet is the same. Digg is a popularity contest. Everyone wants to go viral on YouTube. Measurement tools, metrics, and analytics are just another way to ask, 'Do people like us (me)?" In a way, it feels very much like an extension of high school. The hormones of it all are quite frankly making me breakout.

Despair
Let's assume for a second that when, for example, I write a story, it's not about me getting any sort of personal feedback--that it's about who or what I'm writing about. Now get rid of that notion. It is about me, dammit. How long would any of us keep doing something without once-in-awhile hearing an "attaboy?" Say what you will about writers having low self-esteem (it's true), but sometimes you gotta hear "good job" to believe it.

I asked a friend in a similar field about this, and, like me, he wasn't afraid to admit his deepest insecurity about self/work-efficacy. He said, "Sure, you're promoting events people might attend, making someone aware of research. They might or might not take action. But that's just too far removed...too hypothetical." His despair is my aggravation. And so, as in every situation, I first ask myself, "who can I blame?"

Assigning blame
First, I blame inadequate metrics. Metrics for online media simply aren't yet where they need to be unless you're selling something (and someone is buying). If your video of an intoxicated squirrel gets 7 million views, what does it really mean (other than being absolutely friggin' hilarious)? Who does it touch? What difference did it make in a life?

For this conversation, I reference a fantastic article on ClickZ about measuring marketing success (related), which says all I might hope to say. Suffice to say, metrics are and will continue to evolve until one day we all have high self-esteem.

Second, I blame you. And I blame me. Because it's not enough anymore to drop your work into the series of tubes (minute 2:12) that make up the internet, hearing only a "whoosh" and then...nothing...into the ether.

Solution: "Good job!"
When is the last time any of us read something wonderful and sent a note to the writer, or photographer? Why doesn't this happen? If someone sat down and told you a story in person, or showed you a slideshow, and you just sat there and didn't say anything afterwards, it would be...a very weird and awkward silence. Direct feedback can't be beat. Most of us, I'd wager, would trade 1,000 "impressions" for a direct comment any day. So next time you read something you like, send a note to say so*.

So, what are some solutions here, and how are you getting your fix? Do comments on Facebook do it for you (certainly more meaningful than "likes")? Is a retweet enough? Should the author always include a byline with an email address? Let us know in the poll.




*The irony here is that most of the time, if someone takes time to send a comment, it's negative. Nothing motivates quite like displeasure. Let's try to change the tone.

P.S. The Comm Forum does a nice job of filling this void with its yearly conference and Maroon & Gold awards program. And members are known to give the occasional shout out. But no one should need to fill out an application in order to receive positive feedback.

Expert Insights: Maximizing Your Social Media Influence
November 30, 3 p.m
Akerman Hall, Room 319 McNamara Alumni Center, Room 235
Presenters are Jennifer Kane and Kary Delaria of Kane Consulting

Jen and Kary are social media consultants with an impressive client list. They will talk about how to set goals and measure success in social media beyond return on investment. For those of you who haven't heard them speak -- they are insightful and entertaining. Heavy appetizers will be served.

I stumbled across this piece on planning budgetary-conscious events at the U. I would venture to guess that budget dictates most, if not all, events here on campus, so any tips are always helpful. I especially like the free tools to get the word out on campus, and the emphasis on collaboration. While it may not be ground-breaking, it's a nice reminder that we're all in the same boat- working with a little to create so much more.

The Star Tribune recently announced that they will start charging for their online content. The New York Times did the same earlier this year with much media coverage and public debate. MinnPost operates on a reader-supported model.

As more and more communications channels are moving to a paid-service model, we're curious: do you pay for online content?

Mastering photography is an elusive art. But, practice makes perfect and building photographic skills is an enjoyable hobby.

Here's an edition of link roundup on getting good at taking pictures.

-- 14 Ways to Improve Your Photography in a Few Days
-- 90+ Online Photography Tools and Resources
-- How to Stay Up Late and Make an HDR Image
-- How To: Master Smartphone Photography 
-- iPhone Photography + Social Networking = Instagram
-- The Washington Post Wants Your Instagram Photos to Illustrate Health of U.S. Economy

Guest blogger: Drew Swain, U Relations marketing coordinator, manages the University's overall brand and assists in the development of the yearly Driven to Discover campaigns. Swain says the focus of this phase of the campaign is on students, and gives some insight at how that came about, and what's coming next.

Here's Drew:

You've seen professors explain mind control. Professors growing hearts. Professors teaching classes from the Arctic. Professors even lecturing on what makes Superman faster than bullets. So what about the students? Where do they fit into the University's mission to discover?

That's the focus of the new iteration Driven to Discover, the Driven to Discover Student Campaign, which was just released. You might have already seen some of the TV spots.

The inception of the campaign was really a confluence of factors. We wanted to take an uncharted path to further the Driven to Discover brand and one of President Kaler's incoming initiatives centered on students. Meanwhile, the U of M Foundation was starting its new scholarship drive. It was a natural fit to make students the campaign's "heroes."

As higher education communications pros, when you look at Discover Student, you should notice its unique approach. While student related campaigns of other schools are direct recruiting tools, we're telling our audiences how the student experience at the U is unbeatable. There's nowhere else in the state and most of the region where students can be paired up with elite faculty like Andy Van de Ven, one of the world's top minds in managing innovation. Nowhere they have such an array of opportunities to discover their passion and profession through partnerships like the Guthrie BFA Program. And nowhere they can be exposed to such distinct student-related experiences (hello, Sheep, Goat, and Lama Club).

The next step in the student campaign will make it even more focused on students, when it asks them to directly participate in a scholarship video contest. Students will be asked to submit 30-second videos of themselves explaining what they have discovered at the U. Winners will be chosen based on "Likes" on the U's Facebook page, so stay tuned in mid-December when voting begins!

My office, U Relations, had a meeting this morning, and our new chief passed out bingo cards with some overused words on them. Words like, "Value-added, Win-win, Think outside the box, At the end of the day," etc... She encouraged us to call her out if she used any of them. Refreshing.

The concept, if you're unfamiliar, is to prepare bingo cards with buzzwords and tick them off when they're said during a meeting or speech until you "win-win."

The moral to the game is that the listener feels that the speaker, through the subterfuge of an infinite echoing of trite terminology, is masking a lack of actual knowledge and just spouting off a bunch of buzzwords rather than providing information or ideas of actual value. In other words, our chief was saying, "I actually know what I'm talking about. Feel free to question me on it." Refreshing...because it's actual, mutual communication. 

Just look at what one recent winner said about the game:

"Thanks Bingo creator for thinking outside the box and proactively creating this value-added knowledgebase that is a strategic fit with my core competencies and current client focused mindset. I can leverage our existing process and exploit the inherent synergies to expand the knowledgebase to cater to our result driven folks who will work 24/7 to put it on a fast-track. This cascading game-plan is what I call a truly win-win situation."

I'm happy to say that no one "won" the game today.

Guest blogger: Elizabeth Giorgi ( egiorgi at umn.edu )

Elizabeth Giorgi (Liz), social and multimedia coordinator in University Relations, has some words of wisdom about the whimsical world of social media. Liz manages the U's Facebook page, YouTube channel, and the recently launched @PrezKaler Twitter account. In her free time, she also blogs about social media, Internet culture, and general geekiness at beinggeekchic.com. Her conclusion here may seem intuitive: ask yourself the most important question of all: Would I read this? But the road to a good Twitter post and indeed much social media is fraught with the perils of tedium.

Here's what Liz has to say:

You may have noticed that our 16th President has a beard. Did you know that he is the first since U president William Watts Folwell? It's these kind of quirky details that we hope to capture with the @PrezKaler Twitter account.

People are already starting to ask me what my goals for our social media accounts will be in 2012. The introduction of the @PrezKaler account is a huge part of what I see as the future of social media at the U. Here's why: we tend to pay attention to and share the things that we see from friendly faces. As a large entity, we're not always effective in doing that.

When you break down the walls of academia and focus on one voice, you can make the conversation more personal and more impactful. So, how does the beard come in? One of the ideas we're playing with for November is to have people tweet their pictures of their "Novembeards" to @PrezKaler as a sign of solidarity. Who would you be more likely to send a photo of yourself to? A nameless face acting as a large department? Or a guy you see on TV or in the halls? We're betting on the latter.

Getting Twitty with it
In a nutshell: We need to be sassier, more personal, more risky, and more ever-present.
 
As for the larger accounts that do represent us as a whole, aka the University of Minnesota page on Facebook, the U's page needs to find a way to more clearly distinguish ourselves from other information on your news feed. That's where sassiness comes into play. We recently posted a photo album on Facebook with some autumnal scenes. One caption reads: "The Lilly Plaza is a little-known study spot. Oops, did we just let out the secret?!"

When you look to establish your goals for social media this coming year, think about what you can do to distinguish yourself and use a more personal voice. And ask yourself the most important question of all: Would I read this?

A year ago we asked, "Do you use a portable device like the iPad or Kindle for reading books?" Results:

So...today we're wondering what you're using:

Jeff Falk (the handsome fellow to the left, in full professional regalia), assistant director of the U's News Service, has some helpful advice today on getting University research and researchers in the news. First step: making sure faculty see the value of media relations. That's where you (we all) come in. Here's Falk's post:

"If your research is stale, if your classroom is boring, if your community engagement is ineffective, you must reinvent yourself, or, frankly, you must step aside," President Kaler implored faculty in his Sept. 22 inauguration ceremony address. "As you expect me to deliver on my job, I expect you to deliver on yours."

Here at the University News Service, we believe there are few better and simpler ways to highlight the value of faculty research and expertise than through focused and strategic media relations. Here are some suggested talking points to emphasize with faculty when discussing the importance of media relations:

--News stories on University of Minnesota research and expertise are read by state legislators, the governor, and Minnesota's Congressional delegation as well as citizens, donors and, when there is national publicity, people at federal funding agencies.

--Research results can help inform decisions on important public issues.

--Many grant applications require public outreach and education, and there certainly is a need to improve public appreciation of science and how research benefits society.

--Popular press coverage makes it more likely research will be seen and cited by other scientists

--Announcements about grants, appointments, and awards rarely get more coverage than brief mentions in local newspapers. This is why it is important to focus on publicizing research findings and faculty expertise.

--Finally, popular press coverage of research often results in valuable contacts with potential collaborators. Most national and international publicity about the U comes from coverage of peer-reviewed research findings.

As faculty have been charged to push the envelope, we as communicators need to take advantage of this opportunity and help them understand the value and impact of telling their stories.

--Jeff Falk ( jfalk at umn.edu )

Communicators have an uncanny ability to get to know people across varied disciplines and familiarize themselves with many professional niches. At the U, for example, communicators are tucked away in their colleges becoming experts on vastly different topics--from veterinary medicine to cultural studies, or whatever discipline it may be.

Although spread far and wide, it's apparent there is a thread running through our group that knits us together. Communicators relish in swapping stories, sharing information, and making connections. And we do just that at the U--especially those who participate in the Communicators Forum.

It's easy to forget that this inherent attribute is a skill that many people do not possess. As connectors, we have access to people that others may not. Using that opportunity to relay important messages is an interesting concept--think of the impact that could be made by stepping outside our traditional roles.

To me, it makes sense that making a difference in my profession and making a difference in the lives of others requires both excellent communications skills and the ability to project my knowledge to others confidently. So, complimenting my people skills with leadership skills seems like a no-brainer.  

Here's an edition of link roundup on leadership, career success, verbal communication style, and more.

1. Steve Jobs and the Seven Rules of Success
2. The Hazards of Confidence
3. Optimism Scores the Extra Point
4. The Conversationalist: Talking Without Technology
5. Networking is a PR Mandate
6. 10 Must-Read Public Relations And Marketing Books

*Note: This review will appear in next week's "Preview/Review" column in Brief.

Sometimes when we think about communications we believe them to be the sole job of professionals with focused job titles like "communications specialist." But communications--helping others understand the value and role of an organization--are most effective and persuasive in numbers.

Anna Kucera, director of marketing and public relations with the Upper Midwest Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, had a clear message for the several dozen attendees at the Oct. 20 UMCF event, "Promoting Strategies on a Budget: Internal PR."

Everyone in your department should be involved in communications, and ultimately, everyone in your organization is anyway, she said. A conversation is happening--online, in coffee shops, and in backyards--people talk about work. Providing the tools to enable employees to lead the conversation, and to advocate on behalf of [the U], is ultimately a communicator's job.

"The people who work for the University need to be able to speak about what they do for the U and why it matters," Kucera said.

At her own organization, Kucera said "A lot of times our employees are the people best connected to the communities we serve. We want to empower them to get the word out about upcoming events, and our agenda."

Her advice was to train everyone, in the key messages (the value) of the University, and in the use of social media (by holding social media brown bags)--an inexpensive way to amplify 20,000 faculty and staff (and 60,000 students) who make up the U.

"Social media policy should be not only a list of what not to do, but "to do's" and "how to's." Facilitate interactions among employees. Empower them to reach out to their own networks in a way that positively represents your organization," she said.

Certainly food for thought as the U approaches another important legislative session, with tens of millions of dollars on the line.
 
One way to get involved is to join the U's Legislative Network, get informed, and get ready for action at the U's 2012 Legislative Briefing, coming Feb. 1.

Follow the U's new legislative network on its new Facebook page, and continue the conversation online.

This article from UW Milwaukee caught my eye because my friend's sweet son is in the lead photo.

Technologies help students pass to head of the class

But as I read, I was stunned by this statement:

"Summarizing a recent study from Ball State University, UWM First Year Center Director Ericca Pollack says 30 percent of students regularly use email, while 97 percent use some form of text messaging." [Emphasis is mine]

Am I super old-school because I still email? Can I even connect with students today without texting?

UW-Milwaukee's students are meeting with advisers via Skype and taking virtual field trips online. Some of our Forum members work in student services and classroom technology; what do you think of this piece? How have you changed the way you communicate with students over the past few years? How has the classroom changed? Please share your comments.

Every year the UMTC Community Fund Drive rolls around I have to say I enjoy it. My office (University Relations) usually does a pretty good job of contributing, and the U on a whole raises more than $1 million each year for community charities. It's a testament to the true character and deep commitment of U faculty and staff, I think, to give so much of their time and money. But we're a little behind this year (participation is at about 13%). It's a tough economy, but during tough economic times, donations go down and needs go up--and this fund drive fulfills a lot of needs (the U is the biggest donor for most of the charities). As communicators, we can help spread the word. So let people know.

Online you can find a list of many of the charitable organizations. If you can't find a charity you like, you can give to your favorite charity, even if it's not on the list, as long as it is a 501c3.

I'd also like to give a shout out to the people who make this happen every year. All the volunteers--dozens of them--make this happen. UMCF member Lisa Bentzen, communications staff in OHR, deserves a shout out as the communications committee member. If I'm forgetting anyone, thank you, too.  

For members who couldn't make it--or just want to watch the event again--we recorded the September 15 Expert Insights program. Amy Phenix and Diana Harvey discussed "Communications as Strategic Partner: Best Practices" and shared lots of useful information.

I love volunteers. They help me set up decorations and signage, greet and check-in guests, and clean-up and bring supplies back to my office. Volunteers are like my extra set of arms carefully helping me execute multiple event tasks expertly.

In this economy, volunteers are highly desirable; therefore, we need to treat them well. It's taken me time to understand how to effectively communicate and treat volunteers in order to best manage them. Below are some tricks of the trade compiled from both my experiences and from the Donor Relations Guru Blog that I follow.

1. Have realistic expectations of your volunteers. Volunteers are donating their time; therefore, don't overload them with several projects or tasks.

2. Clearly define a volunteer's role. Manage their expectations along with your own. Define what the role's tasks are from the beginning and talk to the volunteer prior to your event to make sure they understand of what's being asked of them.

3. Appreciate your volunteers. I understand - we're all busy, but taking some time to write a personal note of appreciation and thanks to your volunteers goes a long way and helps to develop a relationship. Remember - a happy volunteer = a repeat volunteer.

To learn more volunteer tricks, go to www.donorrelationsguru.com/.

Have any volunteer horror stories or best practices (either your own volunteer experiences or managing volunteers)? If so, let us know. 

During Amy Phenix's talk at our September 15 program, she asked the audience if they felt they were generalists or specialists. The majority raised their hand for generalist.

Welcome to another academic year and the re-ignition of the Comm Forum blog. It has been a shotgun start for many of us, and with a new president, and soon, a new provost, a time of certain change. That means all kinds of things are going to be happening--shiny, new, and otherwise--and we want to hear about them from you.

So first, an invitation: We're looking for guest bloggers. Whether you have some expertise to share or creativity in any of its manifestations, we want to hear from you. Commit to as few as one post. Contact overland@umn.edu and we'll work out the details.

Second, how the blog will proceed: This year, the Forum board will do our best to post on Wednesdays and Fridays, primarily in three categories (and again--we need your help): polls and queries, member profiles, and link round-ups. Send suggestions of people to profile, questions you're curious about, and links to resources you've found valuable, as well as communication success stories from around the U.
 
We want to recognize good people, good work, and share proven ways to help everyone raise their game to the next level.
 
The Forum blog is a volunteer effort, and we've had successes in the past both informational and entertaining, like how the condemnation of new technologies (social media) is nothing new, a poll on how Forum members get to work, where we were before the U, and a philosophical meandering that posits there is too much "me" in social media, concluding with the words of Neil Diamond. Plus, humorous 404 pages.

Enjoy, and please keep the ideas coming.

 
--Adam Overland,

CF blog editor (Fall 2010-present)

When: Thursday, July 26, 2012, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Where: St. Paul Continuing Education and Conference Center

An official save the date will be emailed to all members during fall 2011.

Registration will open early 2012. RSVP on Facebook to view ongoing updates about the conference.

• RSVP on Facebook

Amy Phenix, President Kaler's new chief of staff, and Diana Harvey, our new chief communications officer, will be speaking to the Communicators Forum on Thursday, September 15 at 3pm in STSS 230. Amy's topic will be "Communications as Strategic Partner: Best Practices." The program will begin promptly at 3 with an opportunity for socializing afterward. Light appetizers will be from Kafe 421. Please register for this program on the UMCF website.

This program and all other Expert Insight events will be available by UMConnect.

For those of you who wish to revisit Robert Sevier's breakout session on "Developing an Experience Marketing Strategy," please download this attachment.

2011 - Experience Marketing - Final SG.pdf

Not sure if you've been following it, but there's a big effort going on among U of M staffers to help out North Minneapolis in the wake of the tornado. Much of the word has been driven by social media. Find out more on the Brief Facebook page. Here are a few of the most recent updates, viewable in the notes section of Facebook:

May 27 update, 10 a.m.:
Over 100 volunteers again at UROC this a.m.

--City-led long-term recovery committee met at UROC this morning: 45-50 city/county officials and community leaders in attendance (including UROC exec director Heidi Lasley Barajas)

--Outreach team now on the ground on the North Side; Senior VP Jones and Dr. Barajas part of the group.

--One outreach shift tomorrow, May 28 (Saturday)--9 a.m.-1 p.m. Volunteers needed. No van from campus.

--UROC will continue to be involved in tornado recovery efforts next week in a variety of ways. No on-the-ground outreach is planned out of UROC, but UROC staff will refer volunteers wherever they might be needed on the North Side.

May 26, noon update: Reports are coming in that volunteers are running out of food to meet community needs on the north side. Teams are coming across homes and apartment buildings where cupboards are empty and refrigerators full of spoiled food.

Nonperishable food can be dropped off at the UROC building, 2001 Plymouth.

Still haven't registered? Register right now (Yes, right now!) for the conference. Our fantastic keynote this year is John Moe, host of Marketplace Tech Report and the Wits series at the Fitzgerald Theater. We also have an array of fabulous sessions, including Wing Young Huie's session on the University Avenue Project, a session with the Geek Girls, a Burlesque-related session, and much more! The day ends with our much anticipated Maroon and Gold Awards and a reception at the Campus Club.

Hope you all join us at Coffman Union on Thursday, May 12!