Roxanne Hafer's Digital Portfolio

At A Glance: Reflecting on My Mastery

This month in Writing for Interactive Media we learned the importance of writing press releases. You need to ask yourself the following questions when choosing your story:

Is this story newsworthy? Why does it matter?
Who is your audience? Identify your audience and what they do in the world.
Who are your key influencers? Are they bloggers, marketers, reporters, etc.?
Start your conversations with content your audience is interested in.
Create useful content, share interesting content, engage with your community.
Deliver quality solutions that keep your community or followers intrigued.
Determine keywords or phrases that your audience follows. Create a hashtag that others will use or know as your own, for example, #GetRoxed is mine.
Create marketing strategies for your target audience.
Write good stories and you will grow a positive audience that wants to follow you.

These important pieces of information will keep your readers interested in reading more. Remember to answer the basics:

Who
What
When
Where
Why
How

According to my Mastery Journal Timeline, I learned the importance of keeping my engaged with complex information (Covid-19 and The Home Depot), I acquired the knowledge of how each social media site functions with lengthy stories by using hyperlinks, and the importance of the inverted pyramid.

Overall, Writing for Interactive Media has taught me process of storytelling planning and how to keep the audience engaged by interacting on different social media platforms. Keeping up to date on currents events and talking to your followers/community will keep everyone connected. Here are some best practices when it comes to keeping your audience engaged:

Know your target audience, such as demographic and psychographics.
Use images such as photographs, infographics, and videos.
Respond to all comments if possible, show empathy.
Post content on social media pages during prime times.
Keep on top of current events and jargon used by your demographic.

References:

Lawlor, O. (2019). Writing for Social – My Thoughts. [Online Image]. Retrieved on June 28, 2020, from: https://medium.com/narrative-from-linear-media-to-interactive-media/tagged/narrative

Singleton, M. (2020). The Inverted Pyramid. [Online Image]. Retrieved on June 28, 2020, from: https://malik.silvrback.com/the-inverted-pyramid

I Am The Fire

This past week I focused on myself more than the normal. There was a lot going on in my life that I would not like to discuss with the world, but those who are close and dear know what has been going on and what is currently on my mind. I took a moment for myself and I found this quote in my travels, and said to myself, I have mastered the chaos in me. There is no more madness or time for drama. I am that fire that is ready to burn brighter and shine. Sometimes I doubt myself, then I remember who I am, how far I have gotten, and that the Masters Degree is within reach. I can do this and I will do this. There is nothing or no one going to stop me.

Image reference:

kkdbeautycafe. (2020). The Words. [Online Image]. Retrieved on Pinterest on June 14, 2020, from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/397653842092743649/

Following Your Dreams

Lindsey Vonn is an aspiring, young Olympic medalist that proved that her setback would only stage her comeback.

This weeks blog is about accomplishing goals. I set goals every week when it comes to doing my assignments and getting them done in a timely fashion. I know exactly how many hours a day I need to put in and what needs to be done on a daily. If for some reason, I fall behind, that means I just have to pick up the slack the following day. I try to leave at least one day a week for down time (or me time), that way I am not stressed out. The quote up above from Lindsey Vonn simply states that if you follow your dreams, set goals, and do everything you can to accomplish them, you will get there. I resonate with this quote because it is exactly what I did throughout my Bachelor’s Degree and now through my Master’s Degree.

It is easy to follow your dreams and set goals, the hard part is working hard to get there.

Image Reference:

Best Sports Quotes. [Online Image]. Retrieved on June 7, 2020, from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/266486502930657763/

Rox Star Public Relations

Special Thanks to: WorxLine Agency, for helping to create my logo

Public Relations in a Digital World introduced me to a whole a new perspective of what the PR scene is all about and how things are communicated to the general public. Even though we are in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic, public relations, just like the everyday news, the show must go on. My favorite assignment in this course was the Public Service Announcement. This assignment allowed me to take a mental health break from reality and do something beneficial for myself. May is Mental Health Month and by creating this PSA, I was able to communicate to my fellow students in a 30 second video of how it is important to take time for yourself. Everyone, no matter what month it is, needs to take time for themselves.

The Press Release Assignment (Week 4) made me realize that my brand that I had created in my previous degree program needed a logo. This will help me as a public relations professional because I have to start somewhere at some time, and I can only grow from it. The Rox Star Report image has been shortened on Instagram to just a simple logo design with the letter R and a star.

The knowledge I acquired this month will mentally and physically prepare me for what the real world or public relations industry requires. I am capable of preparing a public service announcement, using video editing software (such as Adobe Premiere Pro), and writing a Press Release (where I got to use my newly acquired logo).

All of these items throughout this month, and the upcoming months will help shape me into a better Public Relations Specialist. This month has been a unique one because I used skills that I learned throughout my last degree program (Sports Marketing and Media) and what I have learned so far in this degree program (Public Relations) to create an impromptu online fundraiser for an online friend who’s mother had suddenly passed away. It was akin to a GoFundMe fundraiser except it was a morale boost with donations from fellow gamers and close friends. Throughout a course of 3 days, a total of over $5k was raised to offset funeral costs and unforeseen expenses.

I feel as if I will excel in this program, for that reason alone.

Reference:

Worxline Agency. (2020). Worxline Agency Instagram. Retrieved on May 31, 2020, from: https://www.instagram.com/worxline/

#MixerUnited

Networking is vital with anything you do, it is the easiest way to meet people. “Experts say that the most connected people are often the most successful” (Augustine, 2020).

This past weekend my networking skills were put to the test. I am a moderator of many video game streamers on the platform Mixer. This past weekend one of my avid video game streamers, NoicetryOPG, also known as Alex, had let our community know that his mother had suddenly passed away. I messaged a fellow streamer named Outtapocketgaming (or OPG) that both he and I follow to let him know of the sad news. He was most likely sleeping when I messaged him so I got on Mixer and tried to locate another guy that we both knew through the platform.

This is when I came across streamer Bam_Bizzle_504 (also known as Bam), he had networked with both Alex and myself. Bam was live on Mixer when I stopped in his stream. I told him when he had a second I needed to send him a private message. He took a moment for me, I had told him what had happened, and we exchanged socials. I told him that I was going to try to get ahold of other streamers to see if they would help out and do a charity stream in hopes that we could help out Alex with unexpected costs.

I went on my way and continued to reach out to several of our networking friends. I was up most of the night writing down names and times of when streamers would be available to help out. That next morning I had reconnected with Bam, he had a list of streamers, most of his were different from mine. Between the both of us, we had around 25 names of streamers from all over the world. This number did not include OPG’s contacts.

I had made a chart for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with times and Mixer usernames. I posted this chart on all social media platforms for everyone to wanting to know what was going on. It was amazing what networking had accomplished, it had brought several communities on a social platform all for one cause. I created the hashtag #MixerUnited because it was as if we were all united as one on Mixer for NoicetryOPG. Above is an image I had found online of a fist with video game controllers, I had decided to edit it and add in logos of Bam_Bizzle_504’s “The Just Us League”, Outtapocketgaming’s logo OPG, and my logo (The Rox Star Report) on the bottom right. On the left side is NoicetryOPG’s logo in green, Mixer United or my hashtag in blue, and then I added “Building Stronger Communities Together”.

Throughout the weekend I had used my skills I had learned throughout my Sports Marketing and Media classes. The whole weekend ran smoothly, it was if I was an event planner. I said to myself, I think I could possibly be an event planner, as long as I have an awesome partner. I also was using skills I acquired (so far) in the Public Relations Master’s Degree program.

Overall, this weekend was a total success. I had used my networking skills to bring communities together for one cause, to help out NoicetryOPG on Mixer. We had raised over $3,000 in the matter of 2.5 days and that number is still growing because Bam_Bizzle_504 is still streaming to help out our friend (he pulled a 24 hour stream on Saturday and is doing the same Sunday).

I want to thank everyone who has stopped by and everyone who has donated. It is greatly appreciated! Special shoutout to Bam for coming through and helping not only me, but our mutual friend in his time of need. We will forever be #MixerUnited.

References:

Augustine, A. (2020). Heres Why Networking Is Important To Your Success. Retrieved on May 17, 2020, from: https://www.topresume.com/career-advice/importance-of-networking-for-career-success

u/sojello. (2013). We Are Divisive (A Recoloring of “Gaming Revolution” by Sean Mort). [Online Image]. Retrieved on May 15, 2020, from: https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1bn015/we_are_divisive_a_recoloring_of_gaming_revolution/

Stand Up

“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women” by Maya Angelou stood out to me this in my first week of Public Relations in a Digital World class.

We were anyalizing “credible” PR Firms when a fellow classmate posted in her discussion about “PR Couture”. This post enraged me and my other colleagues in the Sports Marketing and Media world as it literally depicted all women as fashionistas.

Clearly, this company has forgotten that we have come several decades from your sterotypical 1957 woman and can do anything a man can do. We are just as capable of doing the same things, if not better than our male counter parts.

I don’t want to rant too long about this, but this is 2020, I’m not Donna Reed or Barbara Walters, I’m Roxanne Hafer and I am here to make that difference and remind us women that we can anything we put our minds to.

Reference:

Schumer, L. (2019). 21 Inspiring Feminist Quotes For A Serious Dose of Girl Power. Goodhousekeeping.com. Retrieved on May 10, 2020, from: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/g28470640/best-feminist-quotes/

Journey in Progress

While I was working on my week 4 Mastery Assignment, I stumbled across this image and it hit home. Life as we know it is journey, everyday something different happens, sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad. This month as I started my Mastery journey, I found out that I am really good at doing certain things, while others need to be brushed up on and learned once again. I learned this month in my class that it is ok to stray off the path and go other directions. I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Marketing and Media and today I am in the Public Relations Master’s Degree looking at a role in the Esports industry. They may sound like they are in the same kind of area, yet it could be completely different. As I continue on my journey, I realize that there is so much more to learn- out there in the world. So, as I continue my winding road, I would like to take a minute and thank everyone who has my back and those who have always had my back. I have 11 more months on my journey, and I am excited to see where I will end up.

Reference:

Mittal, S. (2017). My Journey is Still in Progress And There is A Long Way To Go. Retrieved on May 2, 2020, from: http://www.sachinmittal.com/2016/01/05/my-journey-is-still-in-progress-and-there-is-a-long-way-to-go/

Don’t Settle..

Inspiration for the Week of April 25, 2020

This week’s inspirational quote from the late Steve Jobs. This peculiar quote stuck out to me this week by reminding me why I am going to school. I am here to show the world who I am and what I am capable of doing. It may have taken me several years to find out what I am good at in life, but guess what? I have finally figured out what I am capable of, know what I am looking for, and until that job comes along, I am not going to settle for anything less. I will not stop looking until I find what I am looking for and will not settle for anything less. It is like my hashtag says, it is time to #GetRoxed or in other words get ready because here I come!

Reference:

Wisdom Quotes: Love What You Do!… [Online Image]. (2017, September 1). Retrieved on April 25, 2020, from: https://omgquotes.com/life/wisdom/wisdom-quotes-love-what-you-do/

Personal Learning Network – PLN

PLN (Personal Learning Network) is a network that you develop to allow continual learning.

A Personal Learning Network is a networking tool used to develop yourself as you continue to grow in the industry. Personal Learning Network social pages include sites like Feedly and LinkedIn. These socials pages provide you, as the user, a wide variety of different benefits.

LinkedIn has many perks that I use on a day to day basis. For example: this site allows me to network with other industry level people and professionals in my career path. LinkedIn also has a Premium plan that they allow you to try for a month and if you like it, it is a nominal fee. This Premium service assists the user in job searches, building networks, along with many other features. I consider my LinkedIn to be a professional form of Facebook with perks, these perks include jobs in any type of field that you’re looking for and (if you purchase the plan) self-guided e-classes.

Feedly is another awesome page that I use in my PLN. I use this site to gather all relevant updates about a topic and have it in location rather than searching all over the internet. For instance, I use the keyword “Esports” and it provides me with blogs, news, RSS web feeds, and social media posts.

Below are an images of both my LinkedIn profile and my Feedly newsfeed. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn.

Reference:

Guarr,J. (2019). Build Your Personal Learning Network Using Social Media. [Online Image]. Retrieved on April 24, 2020, from: https://nafme.org/build-your-personal-learning-network-using-social-media/

She Believed..

Inspirational quotes have always been one of those quirky things I like to look at when I am feeling down in the dumps. They always have a way of lifting me back up, reminding me of why I am here and to push forward. The image up above is one of my favorite quotes from author R.S. Grey’s book Scoring Wilder. It reminds me that if I just believe, I can do it, and to not give up. Some quotes fit perfect into the equation of life, others can be funny, while others can bring on a whole bunch of emotions.

This quote has helped me get through my Bachelor’s and it will surely help me get through my Master’s. Whenever I felt down and, in the slumps, I reminded myself why I was there and that I could do anything.

Follow me in my Master’s Journal, sign up to get the Blogging Mastery Madness delivered to your inbox, and feel free to comment!

References:

Grey, R.S. (2014). Scoring Wilder. CreateSpace.

Hassan, S. (2019). She Believed She Could So She Did Poster. [Online Image]. Retrieved on April 9, 2020 from: https://dailyfitness4u.com/she-believed-she-could-so-she-did-poster-zazzle-com/