What I’ve Learned Thus Far
As much as I love to write, I have had a serious case of writer’s block lately. I’ve wanted to type so many things into this space about the past three weeks of my last semester at Mizzou, which has already been a whirlwind. Yet I don’t know how to put into words my feelings about the tasks that lie before me. I don’t want to misrepresent the exciting opportunities I have been given by imposing my own stress and self-doubt upon them. I certainly didn’t want this to end up being a therapy session, where I work out all my conflicted thoughts about the future, but clearly I’ve already failed in that respect!
So. I decided I’m not going to blog this semester about my shortcomings, my stresses, my concerns. I’m going to blog what I LEARN. I am so very privileged to go to such an esteemed university, to study alongside such talented folks, to gain valuable skills and knowledge each day. I hope for my blog to be a record of everything this fabulous place teaches me during my very last semester here.
Without further ado, what I’ve learned thus far:
1. Strategic campaigns are SO different than reporting, because your client, not your audience, comes first. The major difference between my capstone project this semester and everything else I’ve done at the university is who I am aiming to please. I am currently working to grow the website ArtyApt.com through social media and new media tools and techniques. I am so excited to work on this campaign because more and more, I see myself working in this capacity, rather than as a reporter.
Still, I have had to adjust my perspective quickly. I am used to working for the public. Sure, my editors have a lot of say, but in the end I can defend my work to them and to myself by saying, “Hey, this is an important story to tell, and there are people who need and want to hear it.” With ArtyApt, the audience is crucial. The entire point of our project is to increase and engage the audience, to create a community around ArtyApt so the business is sustainable. Yet there is a much greater focus than ever before on giving the client what they desire, even if you as the communicator have other ideas on what’s best. It’s not as much about the people who want and need to hear what your organization has to say. It’s about what your organization wants and needs them to hear. It’s a really interesting difference that I’m glad I’ve gotten the chance to navigate this before I enter the work force. If I do end up working in strategic communication, I will have a really good understanding of how it all works. Before this semester, I didn’t really grasp the dynamics.
I can’t wait until next week to see what I learn next, and I can’t wait to share it with you!
