Most college students hear the mantra “network, network, network” if you want to get a job after graduation. And while most graduates hear what their professors are saying, actually diving in and doing it is a different thing. But it works. Let me tell you how I got my first several internships and, now, my first real job. From internships at Fletcher Rowley, Inc., a political consulting firm, to the Tennessee General Assembly with Sen. Jeff Yarbro, and now at MP&F, my network has helped me climb the ladder. That’s not to say I didn’t work hard or do everything …

Many visitors arrive at Andrew Jackson’s home with their opinions already fixed, sometimes using words like “crazy” and “violent.” At first, I visited The Hermitage solely to enjoy the history. But I left with a clearer image of the man, whom I felt wasn’t as easy to label as I’d first thought. Visitors are greeted by larger-than-life portraits of the general looming next to compassionate quotes from his military experiences. Guests progress through the visitors’ center detailing his pre-presidential life from lower economic class to legend, ultimately arriving into Jackson’s controversial rise to his time as the seventh U.S. president, …

So my college major, grades and transcripts won’t matter in the “real world,” or at least that’s what I’m told. The question then becomes ‘what can we students do to land that postgraduate dream job?’ College students have figured out that experience is everything and internships are priceless – literally. (Most are unpaid.) Finding the right internship is difficult, but a whole new challenge arises after you accept a position.   While business professionals discuss the importance of work/life balance, students like me should think about a work/life/school balance. Interns must keep up with their professional responsibilities on top of …

MP&F recently welcomed a new class of interns. These talented young people were chosen to spend the fall semester at MP&F after a competitive round of interviews with our team of intern coordinators. Like every intern class before them, they are eager to get to work and grateful for the experience. In my opinion, however, the experience they are getting – as important as that is for their careers – is not an equal trade for the work they produce, and I cannot imagine not paying them for what they do on behalf of our clients. In 2013, MP&F moved …

Disappearing images are all the rage on social media lately, starting with the increasingly popular 5-year-old Snapchat and, more recently, Instagram’s disappearing stories feature. So now that there are two platforms doing the same thing, which one should brands use? The bottom line is deciding which platform is more effective for reaching your audience. Snapchat was introduced as a platform to let users send honest and sometimes embarrassing photos with the comfort of knowing they would disappear after 10 seconds. In 2013, they updated the app to have fun filters like puppy ears and flower crowns, along with a stories …

Marine Week, the Corps’ largest community outreach event of the year, was held in Nashville, Sept. 7–11. MP&F had the honor and pleasure of working with the Corps on this large-scale project. There were more than 80 events across the city celebrating “Community, Country and Corps,” during a five-day span. Without getting into too much detail in this blog post, there was a lot of planning and communicating in the months leading up to and during Marine Week Nashville. We couldn’t have been happier with the results and the community’s embrace of the Marines. Thousands of visitors and residents participated …

You are doing yourself and your fellow creative professionals a disservice if you embrace the mantra of “There are no bad ideas in a brainstorm.” Almost every idea in a brainstorm is bad. That’s why only a few – at best – survive. Don’t go negative on me though, bro! All of these bad ideas are not a bad thing. What really is bad is ignoring the opportunity that comes along with a bad idea. Understanding why a bad idea is a bad idea helps to clarify why a good idea is a good idea. Why might an idea be …

More than 700 Marines are headed to Music City! MP&F Public Relations is working with the United States Marine Corps on their largest community outreach event of the year: Marine Week from Sept. 7 to 11. The events will feature hands-on displays, live demonstrations, time-honored Marine Corps traditions, an array of musical performances by the Marines and other artists, and additional events to showcase the history, military capabilities and community involvement of the Corps. All free. All open to the public. And all family-friendly. In preparation for this event, I had the chance to travel to Parris Island, S.C., to …

In the world of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, email is still the No. 1 digital activity. According to online marketing firm Ezanga, 58 percent of adults check their email first thing in the morning. Here are a few tips to help you optimize your email marketing: Create personal experiences. Don’t aim to sell; aim to enrich by creating a valuable experience through email marketing. This doesn’t mean you can’t promote your products or business, but show your customers how your products can benefit them. Know your audience. Most email marketing tools allow you to segment your mailing list into …

MP&F partner Alice Chapman recently attended her fourth PRSA Counselors Academy Spring Conference, an annual event where independent agency owners and other senior leaders come together for professional development and networking. Chapman penned an article for PRSA’s monthly publication, Public Relations Tactics, expressing the importance of staff development and keeping employees engaged. We have provided Alice’s full column below with the permission of Public Relations Tactics. I recently returned from PRSA’s Counselors Academy Spring Conference, an annual event where independent agency owners and other senior leaders come together for professional development and to trade ideas and tactics on running a successful PR …