2300 self help a scam?

Recently, several of my friends have started to read various self help books. Some of them have really taken it to heart and such, bringing them 'new life' and 'new beginings.' I myself am rather skeptic of such books. Are self help books anything more than common sense we all have with great PR people for authors?

The advice these books preach probably will work if you take it to heart; yet I feel as though most of it you know without reading. Advice such as 'Put others first in your daily life' and 'Forgive yourself, allow yourself to heal,' just seem obvious to me. Yet thousands of people buy these books, and shell out lots of money to attend these seminars. Is there something more to it? Or are these people just sheep, following someone with excellent PR skills?

2300 proper email?

Emoticon and the language of texting has seemingly taken over how we write our emails. Has the formality of writing a letter vanished? Think about it, what is email if not an online version of a letter? By this standard, shouldn't emails be as formal as if you were using letterhead and sending it through the mail?

If you are responding to a forward from a friend using things like lol or :) are fine. However, when writing a professional email to another professional, your email should reflect that. One thing that drives me crazy are simple spelling and grammatical errors. If you have a professional job you should know where a comma goes! You should also be aware of the difference between there, they're, and their and USE THEM CORRECTLY! There is nothing that aggravates me more than getting an email from my superior with common errors such as these. It makes me wonder how they got their position and why I have yet to be promoted.

On a more serious (and less of a ranting) note, emails written from a company/professional standpoint should be just that, professional. Use complete sentences with proper grammer, and use spellcheck, if neccesary. Don't let formalities die online.

2300 digital footprint

Your online reputation seems to be the first thing that people talk about while pursuing a career. Make sure you google your name and see what comes up. Don't have any pictures on facebook that show you in a bikini or having fun. Now, don't misunderstand me, I understand that nude/illegal activities are not a great idea to have online for potential employers to see. However, I see nothing wrong with showing you have a life outside of work.

I talked to some of my professors about this and have come to the consensus that if you have up pictures of vacation, time spent with friends, etc. It will lead to the type of work envirnoment that values the fact that you do have a life outside of work. Therefore, making you a happier individual (and a happier employer). However, if you so desire, you can delete all said photographs and blogs and present yourself as the uber professional you care to be. Be warned, that this image will be the one your employer expects at all times.

Personally, I will chose to leave up my vacation, friends, and family pictures. I want my employer to know I have a life outside of work, and value that side as much as my professional side. You won't see me in a bikini at work, but I will enjoy the beach on the weekends.

2300 apology?

On the front page of the Statesman on November 18, was an article on Anthony Diloreto, a cureent red shirting basketball player here at Utah State University. The article says how he was arrested in Wisconsin on varies charges including possession of burglarous tools and robbery with use of force. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and 100 hours of service. This sentence was imposed in an unusual manner, allowing him to serve his time over the summer so he could continue his education.

Now my question is this: should he issue a public statement/apology after this article ran? Or should it be left alone, considering he has already been convicted and sentenced. Clearly coach Stew Morrill is okay with it and believes he is "a good kid that amde a mistake." Everyone deserves second chances, that's not what this is about. Should Diloreto address this publicly now that the entire campus and community is fully aware of his previous actions? Or would it be in his best interest to let it pass?

Burger Planet Poitioning Paper Final

Burger Planet CEO,

To build the image of Burger Planet, we have done ample research to build a PR campaign that will increase the spending of 30 to 40 year old female consumers by 20 percent within 16 months. As a result of our campaign, consumers will be more aware of the healthier food options offered by Burger Planet and will want to bring in their kids and families to dine here.

In this business, association means everything. By bringing Jayne Petersen onboard our team, we feel that it will put a positive spin on Burger Planet. Petersen has been a trainer to the stars for many years. One of her most famous clients is Opal Whitcomb, who she helped lose and keep off weight. This is a feat no other personal trainer has accomplished. With her experience, we know that Petersen will be able to create an encouraging atmosphere in which woman will feel comfortable bringing and feeding their children.

According to Kimberly Savilonis, VP of market development of GE franchise finance, 30 percent of restaurant traffic is driven by families with kids; much of that traffic is lead by mothers who are looking for fast and healthy meals on the go. Due to this research, we believe that our new healthy menu items will help bring in mothers and their families. White meat chicken breasts have been added as a new option. It can be wrapped in lettuce if you are on a low-carb diet, or you can hold the mayo for a reduction of 500 calories. There are also five different kinds of fruits available: apples, grapes, peaches, pineapple, or bananas. Obesity is a growing problem in the United States, and one in three children in the United States is considered over weight (www.healthiergeneration.org). Therefore, Burger Planet is committed to decrease obesity in the U.S., and is doing so by offering healthier meal options.

Since healthy options are such a big part of our campaign, we will have Corny the Clown working along side Petersen in promoting the healthy food and living choices to kids. From May through July they will be making appearances at various venues and Burger Planet locations to help promote the new menu. In May they will be featured in an ad that shows them jogging into a Burger Planet and ordering off the new healthy menu.

Through these methods Burger Planet will see an increase in total sales of 20 percent over a 16 month period. By targeting 30 to 40 year old women with children we know that our campaign will be successful.

Jessica Vasil

Kenzie Lawlor

Lindsey Garner

Jon Bingham

2300 Ft Hood

Recently, there was a shooter who killed and injured over 40 people in the Fort Hood shooting. At first report, there was information that the shooter, Maj. Nidal Hasan was dead and had been shot on the scene. Later this information was recanted, and it was stated that he was in a hospital listed under critical, yet stable condition.

On Saturday, November 7, he was taken off a ventilater and able to talk. This is the most recent information we, as the general public, have. My question is this, why the false information? Was it simply an error (I doubt it), or was there a PR reason for telling the media originally that he was dead?

I can understand in a local situation in order to keep people from panicing more than they already are, to misinform them to control the situation. Is that all this was? Or is there a deeper reason for it?

2300 Logan Glass

On Saturday November 7, from eight to noon Logan Glass offered free rock chip repais, Rain-X, and breakfast. This promotional was put on in part due to a colleague of mine, Whitney Glenn. I arrived at Logan Glass at aroung eleven, and had a rock chip repaired. The parking lot was pretty full, and the bagel and orange juice was a great perk.

I believe that the event was a successful promotional done due to the good turnout and customer loyalty that it inspired. Logan Glass is now competing with a corporate company that just moved into town. However, Logan being such a small town a local company that offers great service and comprable prices often will do better due to their customer loyalty. I think that this is a great way to continue this loyalty, and introduce Logan Glass to the potential customers that it doesn't already serve.

As a college student myself, I feel that when a company is willing to work with you on a personal basis, you are more likely to return to them. I saw firsthand Glenn helping out a loyal customer with a price adjustment to save him some money. This type of personal connection will greatly help them in the future.

2300 stokes

While working with the Stokes Nature Center, I learned many things. I worked with seven people total with the main objective of increasing awareness about Stokes, and motivating people to go there more often. As a presenter, I felt like it really helped me hone my skills in the minor details such as not hiding behind the podium, using the whole room, and being comfortable with silence. From a teammate perspective, one big issue was the importance of a great and use-friendly website. If a consumer can't find the information they want quickly and easily, you will probably lose their interest and their money. The 'two-click' rule that Troy talked about was a hard, yet great rule of thumb. The consumer should be able to find everything they want within two clicks of the mouse.

Another aspect of this project was getting the correct information to the right people. Consistency was a big factor that we implemented. We provided weekly and bi-weekly programs that would be on the same day and at the same time, even though the subject matter changed. This way people wouldn't have to track down the information to go because this becomes a hassle most people don't want to do.

Overall, I liked this project, I feel as though the experience was a good one, and our client was very easy to work with and helpful (which made it enjoyable to work for them).