Wisdom from a Recent College Grad: Get Involved!
Becoming a communications major is one of the best decisions I have made in college and I am greatly looking forward to my career in public relations. College is an amazing chapter in anyone’s life and I cannot stress enough what I have gained from having leadership roles and mentors I know I can trust. At the end of the day, you get out of college what you put into it.
4 Tips for a Successful Remote Internship
I met Melissa in November of 2022 at the PRSSA ICON International conference in Dallas, Texas. I attend Northern Michigan University in Marquette, about 1,500 miles from San Antonio, Texas, where MVW Communications is located. For the past year, I’ve been working remotely for MVW Communications, and here’s how I succeeded…
Book Sneak Peek: Be Thoughtful and Planful
In Chapter 10, “Act Like a Pro,” I review what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss the changes that it made to our work lives.
Book Sneak Peek: Thinking Critically & Planning for a Crisis
In Chapter 9, “Think Like a Pro,” I discuss the situations that taught me to think like a pro. Have you heard of crisis communications?
Book Sneak Peek: Build Your Press Kit
In Chapter 8, “Building Your PR Toolkit,” I explain the contents of a great PR toolkit, including the press kit. What’s that?
4 Lessons from Recording My Audiobook
I spent three days recording the audiobook version of my book, 𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑇𝑎𝑙𝑘: 𝑃𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑐 𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝐸𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝐴𝑙𝑙 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑠 𝑆ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝐾𝑛𝑜𝑤. Read here to find out what I learned during that process.
Book Sneak Peek: Think 360
In Chapter 7, “Understanding Integrated Marketing Communications,” I introduce the framework my firm, MVW Communications, uses for our 360-degree approach to planning.
Book Sneak Peek: PR, DEI & Touchy Terminology
In Chapter 6, “Use Tailoring to Serve Multicultural Needs,” I dive deep into cultural strategy and why communicators should understand how to tailor their communication approaches for a multitude of audiences.
3 Pro Tips from a Recent Grad
I am not your “traditional” intern. I am slightly older (27) than what most would consider an intern. I returned to college in the middle of the pandemic, after already completing a degree in a field that didn’t make me happy. I’m so glad that I came back to the field that I fell in love with as a teenager.
Book Sneak Peek: Building Relationships Means EQ>IQ
In Chapter 5, “The Relationships You Need to Be Successful,” I discuss relationships essential to a successful career in PR. These relationships can be with other PR pros and even clients!
Learning Through Experience
As a go-getter, I love to learn, and internships are where I have learned my most valuable lessons. This semester, I found that internships are a great opportunity to gain practical experience and apply what you’re learning in the classroom to real-world situations. Here’s a peek into some of the things I’ve learned at MVW Communications.
Book Sneak Peek: Strategic Communication Planning
In Chapter 4, “Planning Like A Pro,” I explain a four-step process to creating and implementing a strategic communications plan.
Book Sneak Peek: Media Relations Do's and Don'ts
In Chapter 3, “Media Relations Do’s and Don’ts,” I share best practices on topics such as setting media coverage goals, pitching story ideas, and knowing what’s newsworthy.
Book Sneak Peak: How to Embrace Email Ettiquette
In Chapter 2, “Start Smart with PR Etiquette,” I share my thoughts on the unspoken PR etiquette that makes or breaks our reputations. These tips will save you lots of embarrassing moments. A surprising section to many is my take on email management strategy, which is actually key to successful workplace communication.
Book Sneak Peek: Getting Started in Public Relations
In Chapter 1, “What PR Really Is,” I share tips and advice on getting started in public relations. Why? Because colleges may teach how the field works, but they can’t always teach how to work in the field! The hardest part can be getting started – getting that first break. Read this excerpt with tips on landing your first shot below.
Get Familiar with Meta Business Suite for Facebook Advertising
Facebook advertising should be a staple of the media mix for organizations, large and small. It's less expensive than traditional advertising, can be managed easier, and doesn’t require a hefty advertising budget to be successful. Before you set up your paid ads, it’s important to understand…
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion PR Expert Releases First Book
Melissa Vela-Williamson provides valuable insights for those starting their PR career
Three Helpful Tips for Admin Professionals
April 27 is Admin Professionals Day. Administrative Professionals are “efficient individuals who help an organization function at its best." Our Administrative Assistant Catherine shares three things she has learned in her time with MVW Communications.
The Changing Language of DEI
When you use the word “diversity”, what do you think of? Language continuously evolves. In English, many words have double meanings and terms evolve from acceptable to unacceptable over time. Or we have many words that mean the same thing. PR pros – do you say “media release” or “press release”?
MVW Communications Shares 2021 Holiday Hours
It’s been quite a year! We hope you’re planning a restful, restorative holiday seasonal break as you can. The MVW team will be taking the following time out of the office for the holidays: Thanksgiving Week: Wednesday, November 24, 2021 - Friday, November 26, 2021. Christmas & New Year’s: