PRACTITIONERINTERVIEWPROJECT

Cameron PressonPRL 1180

Public relations from a non-profit perspective.

2|

Practitioner Introduction/Background

**Important note: I also interviewed Jeff Moles, who works on the team that Ms. Barnett directs. I chose to focus on Ms. Barnett for clarity purposes.**

Melanie Barnett

Melanie is the Community Development Director at a local homeless shelter called Room in the Inn, a role she has held for two years. Melanie graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in marketing. Before coming to Room In The Inn, Melanie had eight years of working experience in corporations/agencies, primarily as a project manager. Melanie came to the Room In The Inn three years ago as a full-time volunteer for one year before accepting her current role. Melanie importantly noted...”What prepared me for

my current position, far more than my formal education, was my eight years of agency experience. I learned by practice and execution. PR is a job you learn by doing. No one comes into the field knowing everything, not even close.”

3|

Hierarchy & Responsibilities

Melanie reports directly to the executive director, and is the head of the Community Development Team. “There really is no ‘typical day’ in PR, and

by no means is it your typical 9-5 job. However, my job on a consistent basis ultimately involves things like checking messages, answering emails, writing grants and proposals, responding to donors and volunteers that come in, handling donations, responding to the media, and posting on and monitoring Room In The Inn’s social media sites. Some days I might be at the desk all day; some days I may never get there. My work is always challenging, always interesting.” --Melanie

Melanie reported that her position entails working and communicating on a consistent basis with a number of groups, including partnering congregations, volunteers, the homeless, donors, communication partners, the media, stakeholders, and her Community Development Team.

4|

Uniqueness of Non-Profit PR: Quotes from Melanie

“Compared to working in the corporate field, here at Room In The Inn, we’re not only speaking for the organization, but also the 195 congregations and thousands of volunteers that are apart of us, and we keep that at the forefront of our decision-making.”

I was able to bring my corporate experience to Room In The Inn, but in this place (and non-profits in general), the heart and core values of who we are is the basis of everything we do.” It helps us stay grounded, and yet keeps us innovative at the same time.”Doing PR at Room In The Inn is also unique in

that we are direct service at times; we are not in a silo outside of that—sometimes we’re putting on the gloves and serving lunch. And that’s vital, because we can’t tell the story of this place without understanding what it really is.”

5|

Highlights & Drawbacks

“We want to be good stewards of what we have.”

HIGHLIGHTSMelanie said that the

most fulfilling part of her job is serving people, knowing that many of which are down to their last resort. She also loves how educating volunteers breaks down barriers...”I get to help give a human face and a story, an authentic voice to people who mostly are only given a stereotype.”Furthermore, she loves seeing “light-bulb moments,” when volunteers experience perspective changes.

DRAWBACKSMelanie mentioned that one downside to non-profit PR is that there is no PR agency or firm they can call to handle a crisis; all PR functions must be internally completed.Additionally to the problem of cobbling together limited resources/tools, at Room In The Inn, the most “efficient” way is often sacrificed for the better way, which proves meaningful but difficult.

6|

Defining Public Relations

Understanding what your message is and what you want it to be

Outlining the strategy for how you want to get there

Public Relations

Melanie defined public relations as “understand what your message is, what you want it to be, and outlining the strategy for how you want to get there.” Jeff, the other practitioner mentioned earlier, differed, talking more on the function of public relations as “creating and implementing a consistent brand.”When I asked Melanie if she considered herself a public relations professional, she said, “Well, we aren’t card-carrying members, but with our functions and through the eyes of the agency, we (her team) are the main PR staff. She mentioned that her team handles all communication, a marker of PR.

“It’s defining the perspective of the public.”

7|

Current Issues/ Responses

What are some of the biggest issues/trends facing your work today, and how are you responding to them?

Stigmas/StereotypesFrom a social standpoint, the homeless struggle with stigmas and stereotypes about and towards them. Working to overcome problems for them like employment and housing is part of the job for Melanie, who advocates for men like Melvin and Carl.

Pictured are two men, Melvin and Carl, who were described as “friends on the road to recovery” at Room In The Inn. This was featured on their Instagram page, partly run by Melanie.

Social Media“Social media gives everyone a voice, and phones have made every citizen a reporter. We have to consistently monitor what people are doing and communicating on our behalf.”

Neutrality“Another issue is deciding when to engage in conversation on issues and when to not, sometimes remaining silent on topics when we don’t feel we can add to the conversation.”

8|

I Wish I Had Known…

What is something you wish you had known before you became a communications professional?

Melanie did mention that she felt equipped with her educational background. Furthermore, she added that her church internship she participated in helped her in her career in terms of event planning.

One thing Melanie mentioned that she wished she had known was to do more internships, specifically with PR and marketing firms. She did, however, add that internships are far more emphasized and expected now than when she was a student.

“Probably the most important thing is that I wish I had paid attention to how to consider all key players, especially your stakeholders. You don’t understand until it bites you. I’m sure I was taught that, I just wish I had paid more attention to it and learned how to do it better, earlier.” She also mentioned that she wished she knew the importance of networking, and how it is a cultivation, not an overnight process.

One of Room In The Inn’s key players is their partnering congregations, and Belmont is one of them; starting in November here at Belmont we partner with RITI and host homeless men and women every Wednesday and Friday night.

9|

Blending Faith & Work

With Room In The Inn being a faith-based non-profit, how has your work and faith been intertwined?

A picture of a coin posted on the organization’s Instagram, reflecting the faith-based nature of Room In The Inn, which informs Melanie’s work and she says gives her a greater sense of purpose at her job.

“Room in the Inn gives people an opportunity to live out the tenets of their faith, actively practicing hospitality,” said Melanie. She said that she relishes this opportunity in her work.

She clarified her organization’s mission: “We are not an evangelical organization...converting people is not our goal; loving people is our goal.” Melanie said she must keep the organization’s mission in mind in her work at all times.

Melanie expressed that working in a faith-based nonprofit has contributed to the evolution of her faith over the years, fostered by her occupational engagement in service, practicing the tenets of faith in her career.

10|

Mentors Within the Profession

Melanie noted that all of her professional mentors have been unofficial, but beneficial. She specifically mentioned a previous experience in her agency work where her boss served as a mentor, giving her what she called “tough love,” which helped her to develop “tough skin” and learn from her failures and successes.Melanie noted that, in hindsight, she wishes she had been officially mentored by someone, as she sees the value in having someone you respect speaking into your life, both on a personal and professional level.

Pictured here are key leadership/staff for Room In The Inn, including Founding Director Charles Strobel and Executive Director Rachel Hester. Melanie says that the leaders of Room In The Inn have mentored her through “modeling proper techniques, which has been a huge learning experience.” She added that there exists a team-approach to mentorship at her work, where everyone sharpens one another, making each individual better and thus the team as a whole.

Have you had any mentors within your profession, and what influence have they had?

11|

Advice for Prospective PR Professionals

Melanie strongly suggested for PR students to take courses in business and marketing. PR professionals are expected to know how an organization functions, and taking courses in these areas, according to Melanie, is incredibly helpful in that understanding.

Classes to TakeMelanie said that it is important “to be “educated on the tools that you’ll use.” She specifically noted to learn the basics of design and to be able to work with Photoshop.

Internships/Mentors

Melanie suggested to diversify your internships (and do plenty) because PR for different organizations will look very different, and it helps you find where your passions lie. She also suggested finding a mentor within the profession for advice and support.

12|

Skills/Traits for Non-Profit PR

I. Humility: Melanie noted that a PR professional in the non-profit sector must be humble, as you are not getting any glory for the work you are doing.

II. Flexibility: Flexibility is a must in PR, according to Melanie, but especially in non-profit PR, because you are called on to do so much more variety of tasks with a smaller staff and less resources; ability to adjust is a key to a successful career.

III. Expectations: Having realistic expectations of what can be accomplished within a time frame and staying grounded in those expectations is essential.

IV. Complementing Personalities: There isn’t a specific personality type that thrives in PR; rather, it is essential to find co-workers whose personalities complement yours; strengths and weaknesses must be balanced.

What skills/personality traits are needed/fit best for non-profit PR work?

13|

Social Media and the Evolution of PR

“Social media is continually evolving. This continued evolution forces us to stay on top of trends and keeps us on our toes,” said Melanie.

“Ultimately,” Melanie said, “social media has brought about fundamental change to how we approach PR. We now have a whole new way of reaching our audience.”

To explain, Melanie noted that drastic change that “we now empower the whole staff to use their social media to amplify our message.”

How has the evolution of social media changed the way you do PR?

Melanie and her staff have adapted to the evolution of social media, staying relevant and prominent through their active Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts through which they interact with their audience and share their story. You can follow their accounts at @roomintheinn.

14|

Evolution of the Field of PR

“It will look completely different.”• Basic principles and large agencies: Melanie asserted that

these facets of public relations would remain intact.• Team approach: She predicted the “team approach” to public

relations to increase in popularity and use.• Information: “How we get information is so robust; imagine five

years from now how that will change,” said Melanie.• Social media: Melanie foresees the continued growth of social

media, and that the predominant social media platforms will change as today’s main mediums, like Twitter, will eventually fade into oblivion.

When I graduate and enter the workforce (2020), how do you think the PR field will have evolved?

15|

Case Study: “Love Your Neighbor, Y’all”

The campaign’s slogan is based on the Bible verse Mark 12:31. Melanie and her PR staff have furthered their audience’s awareness of the slogan and its meaning through using it frequently on social media as a hashtag, #loveyourneighboryall, and encouraging others to post photos and do the same.

In addition to its social media presence, the “Love Your Neighbor, Y’all” campaign served as the driving force and cover design behind Room In The Inn’s main newsletter that is sent out to key stakeholders and donors, essential to the organization’s fundraising.

Room In The Inn’s most recent campaign has been their “Love Your Neighbor, Y’all” campaign, implemented by Melanie and her staff. The graphic is prominently displayed on all of their social media sites, serving as their profile picture on Twitter and Instagram.

16|

Case Study #2: Clowns & Surprise Donations

The week before my interview with Melanie, she had an “interesting” day at work, reflecting the unique nature of non-profit PR.

A Nashville citizen had posted and tagged Room In The Inn in a picture of a “gentlemen dressed as a hobo clown hanging out in Five Points with a sign that said ‘clowns matter’ with a bucket that said ‘all donations to Room In The Inn.’”

A staff member had alerted Melanie to the post, and she then made the Executive Director aware of the situation. No one was aware of any affiliation with the man on the street.

Needing to address the situation quickly, Melanie herself ended up jumping in the car and driving to Five Points, but the man was no longer there when she arrived at the location.

Melanie then contacted the person who had posted the picture on Facebook directly, assuring them that the organization was unaware of any affiliation with the man and that he was not representing Room In The Inn and thanking them for alerting Room In The Inn.Ultimately, the situation was handled, and the next day the man dressed as a clown dropped off $31 dollars, though they did not get to see nor meet him.