I adore the first few weeks of January. That magical time when my blog traffic spikes with Googling visitors newly resolved to “get organized” in the new year. That makes me so happy. You know how I love talking to-do lists, productivity and Moleskine.  So, without further ado, here are my top tips to help you get and stay organized in 2012:

Keep one to-do list: you only have one brain, which frets over everything from that memo you need to write, to the dentist appointment you keep forgetting to make and the day care check you that OMG-YOU-MUST-MAIL-TODAY. Your brain doesn’t keep separate “work” and “personal” to-do lists, so why do you? Consolidate all of those calendars, post-its, napkins and lists into ONE. Then, prioritize the lot. This works; trust me. My to-do list of choice is Good To Do. That said, you may be like my husband and find a paper to-do list more productive. Whatever floats your boat. Just use ONE.

Clear your inbox(es): this one always gets me the crazy-eye. But I’m serious. Your inbox is not a filing cabinet; it is not a to-do list. Watch this video or read this book. Then, take a deep breath and start taking action, delegating, filing or deleting! This one is super-empowering, though it does take a while if your inbox has 5,500 emails in it. One great way to keep the clutter from returning is to unsubscribe from all that junk email you get each day; feels so good!

Write it down: you know how you wake up in the middle of the night, freaking out over something you forgot to do that day? Some email you forgot to send? The dog’s medication you forgot to give him? Keep a notebook beside your bed. When you wake up fretting, write it down. Then, go back to sleep. You can’t do anything about it at 3:35 a.m. anyway–without looking like a crazy person. I keep a notebook in my purse, too. And for a while, when I was really stressed with work and personal stuff, I kept a notebook by the shower! Hey, we do what we need to do. When you wake up/get back to your desk/dry off, you’ll then transfer those random thoughts and to-dos to your ONE LIST. See how this works!

Create a file system: you don’t have to go 100% David Allen with your files, but you do need a system for work and home. I use colored file folders and keep two cabinets: one in my office; one in my home closet. Every project and meaningful task gets a folder. This keeps my desk clear of clutter, while enabling me to hoard relevant notes, business cards plans, receipts, agendas, etc. When the project/task is done, the folder gets filed away.

Use an RSS reader: point all those blogs, news sites, job postings, friend’s baby pictures, critics’ Tweets, Google Alerts and time wasters to ONE PLACE. I use Google Reader. But there are many others out there. This way, my inbox is free of “alert” clutter and I don’t have to spend time surfing the Internet to get caught up on news, tech, gossip and flickr feeds. This technique may or may not work for you. Some folks find an RSS reader more trouble than it’s worth, but it works for me!

What organizational tools do you swear by? Share your suggestions in the comments!

Oh, the times I’ve preached to bloggers-to-be about the importance of regularly scheduled posting. Yet, weeks have gone by since my last FlackRabbit musing. I’m sorry.

I have a fabulous excuse though: I am making a tiny human. Squeal! I know, I know! And it’s a girl! Squeeeeee!

Indeed, the newest addition to Team Newman will arrive March 10-ish—which is like, tomorrow. Yikes. Yes, we are acutely aware this due date means we cannot attend SXSW Interactive. There’s always 2013…

Despite this awesome baby news that has taken over every fiber of my being, loyal FlackRabbiters need not worry: FlackRabbit will not become a mommy blog. I promise. I just wanted to publicly let you know that my blogging absence isn’t because I don’t love you; it is because I have been kind of busy trying not to vomit at work. Or I’ve been sleeping. I’ve also been preoccupied with red meat, oatmeal cream pies, sweet tea and Zulily.

Yet, in the spirit of “this is one of the only times I’m going to blog about pregnancy on my public relations blog,” please accept (or excuse) my tiny contribution to the Internet’s generous provision of resources for the first-time-pregnant, working gal: 

FlackRabbit’s Pregnancy Guide | Months 1—5

Read:

Alpha Mom’s Pregnancy Calendar, Zero to Forty, by Amy Corbett Storch: I will not attempt to articulate its awesomeness, because I will fail.

Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy, by Vicki Iovine: laugh out loud funny and so very helpful—but not scary. Have now read it twice.

Pregnant Chicken: informative and hysterical. Plus, there are give-a-ways!

Buy:

A fun pregnancy iPhone app: although I have seven of them on my phone, this one by Smiles Factory is my favorite. I like this one, too, by OB on the Go; it has a fun hydration counter thingy.

This maternity pillow: girl, I know it’s $100; worth every freakin penny. Do it.

Dresses: lots of them. And this from the gal who likes to wear suits every day.  But about six weeks into your pregnancy, those fitted suit pants of yours will.not.button. And there is nothing as awesome as a cotton dress when you’re pregnant. Well, besides eating an entire bag of BBQ chips… Read More…

Hello there, talented journalist!

I’m often approached by print and broadcast reporters and editors like you for tips on transitioning into a career in public relations. After years—even decades—of researching, reporting, investigating and doing your best to file balanced, accurate and timely stories, you’re contemplating making the move to the dark side.

Congrats! You’re really going to love it over here. That is, unless you take a job you have enough years, but not the experience for; assume you are still going to see your name in the paper; or negotiate a salary that does not take into account the overtime you’re about to give up. Yikes!

Never fear, I’m happy to help. Here are the pitfalls and pick-me-ups you’ll need to remember in order to rock out your new career:

Your decade of newsroom experience does not equal a decade of communications management experience.

Public relations isn’t rocket science, but it is a learned skill set. Just like “talking to reporters” everyday doesn’t make me a great journalist, “talking to PR people” doesn’t translate into mastery of project management, strategy and proposal memos, event planning, running a client’s budget, dealing with corporate bureaucracy and crafting and implementing a media relations campaign.

If you walk into a room of experienced PR folks and declare that although you’ve never done their job, you’re awesome at it, they will turn on you so fast it will make your head spin. And you need those flacks because you’ve never done this before…

Accept that you don’t know what you don’t know—then, seek out an employer who understands that.

Take a job at a public relations or public affairs firm that understands that although you come with a highly-valuable skill set, you must be trained in—and given time to learn—the actual craft of public relations.

I strongly encourage you to NOT make your first communications gig a “Communications Director” for a company, or any place that expects you to be a one-woman show. Read More…

{Today’s guest post is from my new friend, former newspaper guy and current communications pro, Mike Diegel. In this post, Mike offers up a fabulous addendum to one of my more popular posts, “Four Ways to Be Successful in PR.”  Numbers three and six are my favorites; share your preferences in the comments!}

When I read Margie’s advice about how to succeed in PR—good stuff, by the way—it reminded me of a profile Q&A I was asked to participate in nearly five years ago for the Potomac Flacks blog. In addition to the usual bio/how-did-you-get-started questions, I got one related to being successful.

I sent the post to Margie just for kicks, and she asked me to share my answers with you. So here goes, modified only slightly from the original.

What advice would you give to people wanting to advance in PR?

1. If you can’t cope with deadlines, please do everyone around you a favor and find another line of work.
2. Don’t stress out over today’s coverage. Learn from it. Tomorrow is another day, another story, another chance to tell yours.
3. Your integrity and credibility with reporters is all you have to sell. Protect it.
4. Tell the story, tell it straight and tell it better than anyone else. If you want guidance, read Aristotle’s Poetics and Rhetoric. Some things never change. Read More…

After my recent post about resume mistakes, several of you asked about how I feel about cover letters. Like any nerd, I love a cover letter; as long as it is written as God intended: a 500 word love-note to your future employer.

Poorly written cover letters regurgitate your resume, are not in the least bit tailored and scream “I’M ONLY DOING THIS BECAUSE IT IS REQUIRED…AND I’M BORED.” So, that’s it. The first impression you’ve chosen to give this guy you want to work for is: I’m lazy.

On the other hand, carefully crafted, effective cover letters communicate confidence, intelligence and energy. And you have all of those things! They radiate positive vibes. Most importantly, a great cover letter provokes curiosity: these folks just have to meet the gal who wrote this thing!

When thoughtful and sincere, a cover letter can say more about you than any mere resume can. Like, “I really want–and am the best candidate for–this job.” That is especially important for those of you seeking a career change, or to communicate skills not depicted in your eclectic collection of job titles.

A word of warning: as helpful as a strong cover letter can be to your job search, a poorly written cover letter can do even more harm. According to the Purdue Online Writing Lab, at its core, a cover letter should:

• Explain your experiences in a story-like format
• Allow you to go in-depth about important experiences/skills and relate them to job requirements
• Show the employer that you are tailoring the job application
• Serve as a sample of your written communication skills

Don’t spend 48 hours on your resume and ignore the cover letter. The tool that serves as the Golden Ticket for others, might just be your downfall. Look, you don’t have to take my word for it, I asked the Twitter: Read More…

Did you know your LinkedIn profile can be converted into “resume” format and downloaded as a PDF with one click of the mouse? I didn’t until today. It’s right at the bottom of your profile introduction, see:

The PDF option generates a classic resume layout based solely on the information you’ve provided on your LinkedIn profile. This includes your contact info, summary, experience, skills, honors and awards, interests and education. It even organizes your LinkedIn recommendations. Here’s a sample: Read More…

If you want to advance in a PR firm, non-profit or bureaucracy, you must know how to craft a stellar strategy memo.

Showing your peers, clients and bosses that you can transfer your out-of-the-box, creative thinking into a practical, actionable strategic plan will set you apart from the rest. It also gives you a chance to think through your tactics while proactively addressing known obstacles and potential critics.

I love a good memo. So, it hurts my heart when I hear folks say “oh, I don’t do memos.” Well, friend, let me tell ya: I’m chalking up your memo-aversion to your lack of critical thinking and writing skills. I’m not impressed, and I’m not alone.

Thankfully, many of you are averse simply because you don’t know what makes for an effective memo. Well, I’m more than happy to help! Give these three memo-writing tips a twirl:

1. Think like a consultant: Strategic plans from young professionals often read like permission slips. There is just enough information to pique someone’s interest, but not too much excitement, for fear that it might scare folks away from signing off. On the other hand, a smart consultant’s memo conveys complete ownership and authority while inspiring the reader. This is because consultants want your money you to know they are the experts; that you can trust they know what they are talking about, even if it pushes you out of your comfort zone. If you can’t escape the feeling that taking charge–even on paper–is “not your place,” it might help to approach it like the consultants do! If someone reads your memo, would they want to “buy” what you are “selling?” This perspective always helps me create a more impressive document.
2. Address doubts head-on: Will the higher-ups question the return on investment, staffing capacity and/or relevance of your idea? Well, of course they will! That’s why you’re writing this memo. In addition to your goals, tactics and measurements of success, your document will need to tastefully acknowledge the reader’s skepticism. Folks have the right–and frankly, the responsibility–to question your proposal. Addressing their questions head on is a mature way to calm the nay-sayers, while showing you’re proactive and thoughtful. Read More…