Come work for us!

Off-Campus Student Services has started the hiring process for the 2013/14 academic year. Stop by the OCSS office in Suite 1A02 (Commons, first floor) and pick up an application from our Coordinator Lauren Tabbacchino. The application is also available online at myUMBC.edu; click the Documents link on the right side of the page to access the file called “Commuter Assistant Application”... or download it here!  Applications must be submitted by Feb. 28 to be considered.

What will you do as an OCSS CA?

Our CAs plan and execute events and programs, assist in a variety of office tasks and provide support and resources for all UMBC students, staff, faculty and alumni.

Buyer beware! Choosing the wrong PR agency can break the bank and tarnish your brand. Here's how to avoid a costly mistake.

It's a huge bite out of the budget when a small business owner hires a public relations firm. For most, it's also new territory. What could go wrong?

The nightmare begins when your publicist spams the press. A large number of my "spam" emails are from PR firms. It appears that these well-meaning publicists submit press releases to pretty much any journalist who makes their address public. This blanket, impersonal approach is an easy way to alienate a member of the press.

Many of the press releases I receive have nothing to do with my target audience (hey--that's you!) and aren't even relative to the topics I address in this space. An off-topic, dull, and lengthy press release means that an agency, and the client they represent, get filed in my mind as a "don't read, don't bother" item. Do you really want to work with a publicist who is out there alienating journalists? That doesn't sound like a good strategy to me.

So, I consulted with a few top-notch publicists who are always spot-on when they send a pitch. I asked them to offer advice on how to hire an outstanding PR firm. What are the red flags? How should a business owner prepare before interviewing agencies? They unanimously agreed that it's important to go in armed with these questions.

Is this the right firm to achieve my campaign goals?

Corinne Liccketto, director of sales at Smith Publicity, says that by stating your goals before any contract comes into the picture, you are providing a firm or individual with a clear set of expectations. "A trustworthy firm will be able to evaluate your goals and truly determine if their services are the right fit for you," says Liccketto. "Make a list of questions that coincide with your goals for a campaign so you know where to start."

What is the strategy?

"The goal for a PR agency is to generate earned media, not paid," says Michael Haas, managing partner at Extension PR. "If they are vague about timing for goals and deliverables, be wary. The best PR people will offer strategy and counsel, not just nod their heads to get you to sign with them. They should design a road map for a successful campaign. A great agency will interview you to make sure your goals are attainable and that the relationship will be mutually beneficial."

Does it go beyond the press release?

"Make sure that the firm you choose does not view media relations as simply issuing a press release," says Joy Schoffler, principal of Leverage PR. "Too many PR firms will just write a few press releases and spam reporters, calling it public relations. Press releases are great for search engine optimization, but should also be a part of a bigger strategy and must be news worthy."

Schoffler also points out that good public relations professionals are storytellers. They will glean insights about your company to grow your business and brand by crafting story ideas that are interesting to the media.

What kind of experience does your team have?

All of my experts agreed that many agencies will sell you with their executive-level experience, but then assign your account to less experienced people. Oftentimes, an intern or someone who is new to the industry will execute the campaign initiatives. Make sure you have the opportunity to interview everyone who will be on your team. Find out what their experience is and how they intend to engage with the press.

Who do they know?

Ask about the relationships the team has with your targeted media outlets. Strong relationships yield better media results. If the agency specializes in promoting authors and your campaign goal is to promote a new tech gadget, they won't be a good fit because they aren't likely to have contacts in the tech world. "Not knowing the limitations of a firm can lead to major disappointment when you thought your service included something they simply aren't capable of," warns Liccketto.

What about references and results?

"Always ask for 3-5 clients and journalists that you can contact to learn about their experience with the agency," suggests Haas. Also ask the clients about the results that the agency has produced for them.

Not all campaigns are created equal; it would be impossible for every campaign to be as successful as the last. "Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions," reminds Liccketto. "Learning how an agency has handled the less than successful campaigns says a lot about their team and structure."

What is the payment structure?

Some firms charge on a pay-for-placement basis while others charge on retainer. Liccketto recommends asking questions about the paymentstructures: "What is the charge of the pay-for-placements and do they differ for national, regional, and local placements?" Also ask if there a limit to the number of solid placements for a team working on retainer.

According to Haas once you find out if their billing formula is hourly, monthly, or project based, you'll want to inquire about items they bill for in addition to staff time. Ask about their mark up for out-of-pocket expenses and what those expenses may be.

Most importantly, use your intuition and observe the level of passion that your publicity team has for your industry and for representing your company. The best agency relationships come from people who believe in your product and are proud to be a part of your team.

Image By: Daniel Oines

It’s never too early to start preparing for those grueling, summer months.

In the hopes of keeping its parking lot cooler, The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Northern California has coated large segments of pavement with a heat-reflecting paint. The paint, which is commercially available, can bring the temperature down in a parking lot by up to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Many cities across the United States have adopted the idea of heat-reflecting paint as it cuts down on the electricity used for air conditioning and helps combat global warming. According to Haley Gilbert, a research assistant at the laboratory, the special paint can also improve air quality:

“Across an entire city, small changes in air temperature could be a huge benefit as it can slow the formation of smog.”

With pavement making up 35-50% of the surfaces in large cities, this may be a trend we see more of in the next few years.

Have you seen it in your city? Let us know in the comments below.

You've got a seven-floor elevator ride to sell your business idea to an investor. Can you do it? Probably not.

Can you sell your business idea in a seven-floor elevator ride?

You better be able to.

Pitch opportunities are being compressed. Investors have heard so many bad ones they just want you to hustle through that painful part so they can get to their 20 questions. Bear in mind that whether you’re pitching your business to angels, venture capitalists, customers or strategic investors, you will have less time to articulate your business out loud, period.

The 30-second elevator pitch, which I call the seven-floor pitch, is the hardest to nail: You’ve got the investor for seven floors and the core of your business must be communicated in that brief ride. If you try to pull out and show him a mobile device screen, it’ll look like everyone else’s screenshot, and you’ll probably blow your first impression.

Success is when the investor grabs your elbow, asks you to step off the elevator, and says, “Tell me more about your business!”

The elevator pitch should be the fastest, simplest, most easily understood summary of your business. And it takes the most amount of work. No, it doesn’t always happen in the elevator, but sometimes it really does. In fact, I started honing my ear for effective elevator pitches when I ran the elevators in the U.S. Senate, House and Capitol during college. Imagine being in the background as four-star generals and prominent K Street lobbyists fervently make their case to a Congressman during the elevator ride from the Rayburn subway to the gallery of the House of Representatives.

Entrepreneurs have the same challenge: trying to surmise and deliver the shortest, most succinct--and most convincing--description of their businesses.

CEOs should be precise when describing their businesses. Of the hundreds of companies I’ve coached, sometimes I’ll hear a great extended pitch right off the bat. But hearing the great elevator pitch at the beginning of a coaching session is the rarest scenario of all. It’s an extremely difficult skill to master.

If you are just launching, don’t try to start out by creating the elevator pitch. This is backwards and a time consuming folly. Indeed, the seven-floor pitch is probably the last pitch you will polish. Great pitches are an iterative process. Think of politicians who spend months talking to voters. They find their key messages, then they simplify, repeat, simplify and repeat. CEOs must do the same thing.

First, do what you do every day: Think about your business. Determine why you’re going to be successful. Maybe you’ve solved a cool problem by identifying a business opportunity. Investors want to know how you’re going to make money, so start your thinking there.

Somewhat counter-intuitively, you want to start by mastering your longest pitch, and work down from there. Start by crafting a 20-minute, 20 page deck. Get all your thoughts out on the canvas. It is your best first script. Include very tight statements like: "I'm looking for X amount of dollars; this is what our business does; our go-to-market strategy; the competitive environment and how we're different. Define and articulate the revenue streams to illustrate your business model and how you will make money. List a couple business milestones you've already accomplished, define a few down-the-road milestones, and as the closer, tell them a little about your team.

From the 20-minute pitch, you will simplify to the 10-minute pitch, to the five, down to the two-minute and finally the seven-floor, 30-second pitch. (My LinkedIn has a deck template and recommended order of the script.) You’re boiling the business down to its most compelling essence. Never forget: Each pitch is an audition to be a CEO in an investor's portfolio.

Now, can you step off the elevator and tell me more?