Senioritis

It does exist! Senioritis exists! I’m done my thesis, I have a job interview in Boston in two weeks and guess what I do not care about my classes. Papermaking, Web Writing, Sport Facilities Management I DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOU!!!!! Good Bye NU it’s been real!

Emily Burns Peryyman

When it comes to accounting it seems the only people who actually understand the numbers and equations are the the accountants themselves. Emily Burns Perryman is the middle man between accounting and the new technology making the “boring stuff explainable.”

Perryman works for Freed Maxick, which is a Buffalo business consulting firm. The firm wanted to utlize social media as a way to explain what they do to their clients, as well as inform the masses about accounting. “Making things explainable, that’s what I do,” said Perryman.

Freed Maxick uses three websites, one of which is a recruiting tool for future employees. “Theirs a blog and other sources of information for potential employees to utilize,” she explained.

By being one of the first consulting firms to use Twitter, Facebook and Google +, Freed Maxick has stayed ahead of other, larger companies. They were also one of the first chosen by Twitter to be part of the 2011 Ad Platform.

“We use a tablet friendly design after our most recent mega change. Freed maxixk changed how they promoted themselves, and how they communicated with clients,” explained Perryman. Highlighting staff, and community relations projects are Freed Maxick most recent goals.

Perryman started out at the Fashion Institute in New York City. She was a  Advertising and marketing communications major, and focused specifically on public relations. After ten years of living in the city and working in the fashion industry she moved back to Buffalo. Perryman also runs a Daschund club, and their website.

Reading Post

I found the article on Photos and how to enhance a business’s image interesting. I work for a small business call Runner’s Roost and I think they are lacking involvement in social media and the use of images. People would not have to call and ask about what we have in our store if we provided pictures of the products we carry. They could also see what the associate look like before coming into the store and have an idea about what each employee is knowledgeable in.

By having photos and the ability to comment underneath businesses can have feed back from their customers abotu their products. These businesses could also get feedback if they post ‘previews’ of their products, and determine whether or not they should carry that item. This could save these companys from failures and losing money.

I think in my store’s case we would have to ask permission from the slaes reps of the running shoe brands, if we can post imagery of their shoes. This would prevent the shoe companies from sueing a small store and possibly causing the business to fail. Generic images that aren’t copyrighted could also be used to make a point regarding why people should buy our shoes. We provide personal customer service and fit each person in the right pair of shoes for their specific arch type. We could use generic images to provide evidence about the differences in people’s feet. Having running images on our site and social media pages could also make the store seem like a fun place for runners to come to.

Roller Derby and Social Media

Sheer Tara of the Suicidal Saucies visited Niagara University’s writing for the web class, to discuss how social media has led to the rise of the Queen City Roller Girls. The Flat track blocker has spent most of her career skating, pushing and shoving for position, but most recently began to build a public relations campaign using social media.

The Queen City Roller Girls is a flat track Roller Derby League made up of all women. Within the organization are four teams, and one regional team called the Lake Effect Flurries. These teams compete against each other and other leagues from around the country. Roller Derby has even grown to be an international sport, with all-stars representing their country at international competitions.

Tara has helped spread the word about the league through QCRG’s interactive website which features up to date stories and news. Stemming from the success of the web site is the Facebook page and Twitter account, both of which provide instant information on the league and skaters.

The social media campaign has been a success in terms of spreading the word, the league has gained various sponsors to help with costs of renting rinks, equipment, and other various expenses. Sheer Tara says that “Communication between various people has led us to where we are now. We have to cooperate together, because we have one common goal and that is to make this league better.”

Advice from a man who’s almost done it all

Peter Burakowski of visitbuffaloniagara.com gives advice NU students

Canisius grad Peter Burakowski thought he was ‘too cool’ at his first job to cut out flyers. That was until his boss chewed him out for ruining their company’s first impression to potential clients.

“I learned that day you are not ‘too cool’ for anything. That is my advice to you, don’t think something is below you,” said Burakowski.

After working at Righteous Babe and Sony BMG Burakowski decided he needed important things like benefits and healthcare, so he took a job working in marketing for The Talking Telephone Book.

“It brought me in a decent pay check, but how can you market a phone book? I wasn’t passionate about it,” he said.

Working at a less exciting job did teach Peter one thing, “Every medium has a shelf life.”

He explained that the phone book was once used by everyone for information, and advertisers paid big money to get their products featured. “Have any of you even used a phone book lately? Have any of you used on in the past five years?” When the answer he received was no Burakowski explained that phone books have had to adapt their marketing practices over the years in order to survive. Things like apps for phones and internet use of increased by the company.

After a year working for the phone book company Burakowski finally found a job he could be passionate about at the Buffalo history Museum. The self proclaimed history buff explained, “It’s easy to work when you’re passionate about something, and who gets passionate over a phone book?”

Visit Buffalo/Niagara is Burakowski’s most recent, and current place of work. He takes big time writers from major news papers like the New York Times, and Washington Post around the city. He also does copy writing, public relations, and most recently Social Media.

“The best possible advice I can give to someone who wants to be in PR and marketing is: know the brand you’re talking about and know your audience.”

Run Mehlman Run

NU senior to race coast to coast to raise funds to fight disease

After college, most people look for a job, try to move out of their parents’ house, and worry about paying back student loans.

Niagara University student Nicole Mehlman, on the other hand, is going to go for a run.

Across the entire country.

This summer, Mehlman, a communication studies major, will participate in the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adult’s 4K for Cancer. She will travel from San Francisco to Baltimore – more than 4,000 miles – in an effort to raise money to aid young adults affected by cancer.

She got the idea from fellow NU student Vince Schiano, who spent last summer bicycling the 4K for Cancer. “He told me that I would be perfect for (the run); he really encouraged me to do it,” she said.

“The trip was absolutely life-changing. I have never been able to meet so many new people and see so many things and make a difference all at the same time,” Schiano said of his experience.

In May, Mehlman, along with a number of young adults from around the country, will embark upon the inaugural 4K for Cancer run. Each of the 30 days of running will consist of 12 one-mile increments in a relay style, according to www.4Kforcancer.org. Runners will ride in a chaser van while not doing their leg of the relay.

This type of self-propulsion from ocean to ocean is not an easy task.

“It’s insane how much you need to focus. It’s so easy to lose track of your goal, especially when it’s 112 degrees in the middle of Kansas,” Schiano said.

The 4K for Cancer began in 2001 with students at Johns Hopkins University, led by Ryan Hanley, who lost his father to cancer. The bike ride is 70 days and riders in groups of about five go between 40 and 130 miles daily, with rest stops every 10 to 20 miles, Schiano said.

The 4K for Cancer has sponsored up to four cross-country bike rides every year since and, in 2012, merged with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults to consolidate efforts to a common goal.

Supporting the fight against cancer is personal for Mehlman. Her aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer and is now cancer-free after having a double-mastectomy. Her grandfather has recovered from skin cancer. A neighbor also survived throat cancer.

Of his own experience, Schiano said, “Once the ride started, the connection to the cancer community grew (exponentially).” He got involved in the fight against cancer after his aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. “She’s been my inspiration since the start.”

After spending time volunteering at treatment centers and hospitals, Schiano said he feels connected to a much larger community.

“You start riding for one or two people, but then you end up riding for 400, 500 people by the end, and it turns into you just wanting to support anyone who’s been touched by the disease,” he said.

After biking across the country to support the cause, Schiano, a senior CMS major with a minor in psychology, aspires to do public relations work for a not-for-profit cancer organization after graduating in May.

According to www.ulmanfund.org, more than 70,000 young adults are diagnosed with cancer every year.

“There’s no better time than now to get involved in the young adult cancer awareness and support campaign, because a lot of young adults need that help and they’re not getting it,” Schiano said.

Mehlman has already raised more than $2,400 toward her ultimate fundraising goal of $4,500. Her deadline is May 15.

Schiano began fundraising for his trip by collecting bottles and cans around campus and telling people about the cause. “I would tell them, and they would tell someone else, and it turned into networking, and a lot of people that I didn’t even know started supporting me,” he said. “It really taught me the generosity of people.”

The end of college will be the start of quite a journey for Nicole.

To find out more about Nicole, or to make a donation, visit http://4kforcancer.org/profiles/nicole-mehlman/.

Working your way up

Buffalo.com’s Ben Kirst advises future journalists

Nicole Mehlman

Buffalo.com’s Digital Communications manager Ben Kirst stopped by Niagara University’s Web Design class to discuss the web, and its affect on journalism. Kirst is a western New York native from Fredonia and started small as a writer for Dunkirk’s local news paper.

“I covered all kinds of sports at first, high school on up,” he says.

Kirst says he utilized small jobs and the contacts he made over the years to work his way up to his current position. “My biggest advice to all of you is use the people you know, and network like crazy,” he advised.

In terms of content on his web site Kirst described why the Buffalo News decided to make two pages, “Buffalo.com is geared toward ages 18 to 35 and focuses on sports and entertainment. The Buffalo News has the main web site that is more hard news. Buffalo.com is still part of the Buffalo News, but at the same time we compete with each other.”

Buffalo.com is the smaller of the two sites with only a five person staff and three freelance photographers, but Kirst says their following is growing as they add more creative content.

“We’re in the top ten in terms of the most visited sites in western New York, and that’s definitely something to be proud of. We’re also striving to reach more people through promotions and events that are geared towards younger people in this region,” he explained.

Despite bigger sites such as Facebook, Twitter and the Buffalo News, Buffalo.com has started to make a name for itself and hopes to widen their reach across the western New York area.

Twitter is not a source: Columnist gives advice to up and coming writers

Mike Harrington, sports columnist for the Buffalo News, stopped by Niagara University’s Writing for the Web class to talk about life as a journalist, and the increased use of the internet by news papers.

Harrington has been covering sports since 1987 and started as a high school sport reporter, before working his way up to the Buffalo News. He currently covers MLB news, the Buffalo Sabres and is a secondary sports columnist.

“My job didn’t change much from 1987 unril about 2006. We used to have a lot of down time on road trips, and now we have so much to update on the web on top of our usual coverage,” says Harrington.

He went on to say that the events on September 11, 2001 changed news and the use of the internet. “It has to be instantaneous now, and a lot of those changes came after 9/11. Now the Buffalo news and other papers update their sites 24/7.”

Harrington also commented on his personal use of Blogs and Twitter to help promote his columns. He stays in touch with fans more frequently and can update his accounts at any time, allowing his information to be up to date.

He cautioned the class about social media and journalism, “Twitter is not a source!” This saying came up frequently throughout the discussion while giving examples of rumors that were proven false by researching other sources.

In terms of advice Harrington had this to say, “When live Tweeting at a game or any event, have some analysis. It makes you seem more credible and provides more information.”

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“Is Twitter for Everybody” Response

I liked the term “Twitter Quitter” used in the article, Is Twitter for Everyone. I think it applies to myself, because I started a Twitter and began to hate how busy and chaotic it was. Now I have a Twitter for my Writing for the Web class and have not really used it for anything in particular yet.

I can see how small businesses would utilize Twitter, by capitalizing on its networking and world reaching qualities. One of the first things that pops up when you type any search for a business is its Twitter and Facebook accounts. I personally work for a small business call Runner’s Roost. If they were able to use the web to the fullest capabilities alongside their already loyal customers, I think the business could grow. One of the reasons I was hired there was to work on their Twitter and Facebook accounts, and this Writing for the Web class will help me in marketing the store through the web.