Have you ever wondered about the involvement Wachovia has within it's communities? Well if not, this blog will be a great chance to introduce you some of the current involvements the company has within its community. Wachovia has become a part of your community and has undoubtly proved themselevs with top customer service, and educational programs to better the lives of the community.
Wachovia offers:
- "a committment to the building of "strong and vibrant communities, improving quality of life, and making a positive difference where we live and work." (www.wachovia.com) "They have focus in resources and employee talents on two key priorities within the community:
Improving education
Strengthening neighborhoods
Wachovia currently invests billions of dollars in order to improve neighborhoods and expand education in the 49 states where they have a banking or brokerage presence. "
According to the Community Involvement of Wachovia, 2008 they also provide:
"Provide hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours for national and local efforts
Encourage employees to take four paid hours per month for volunteerism through our Time Away From Work for Community Service policy
Help hundreds of lower-income families achieve the dream of home ownership every week
Partner with local and regional non-profit organizations to deliver services and programs
Donate over $ 1 million a week to charity."
For those who thought that Wachovia was nothing more than a bank where you handled only financial transactions...you are highly mistaken.
Wachovia assists in improving education through the following programs:
"Reading First®
Teach For America
Teacher Development and Support
Wachovia Student Experience
Scholarships "http://www.wachovia.com/inside/page/0,,139,00.html)
In order find more information regarding the programs above, click on the hyperlink to find out more about how Wachovia is involved in its communities.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
My Social Media Policy
MY SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
[A Standard for Social Media]
[A Standard for Social Media]
1. Connecting: [Before I connect, Introduce]. My name is Rena Heard and I'm currently a Public Relations major @ Georgia Southern University who is expected to graduate 12th of Dec 2008. I want to connect to others for professional as well as educational purposes that would help advance me in the Public Relations field as well as others.
[I require an introduction from those who would like to follow me. As well as, the reason they would like to connect and what they hope to gain from connecting]
2. Follow, add, friend: [Know who is following you and who you are following]
[My policy for friending is to follow with the intent to connect and gain useful information. You may add me to follow you, however I only reciprocate a follow or add if their is a posssible benefit of being more informed about a particular subject]
3. Privacy, boundaries and safety: [Set your limitations]
[My boundaries vary depending on the relation in which I share with others. For friends and family, I allow for them to have more access to my personal life, rather than my coworkers and employers. I prefer that my family/friends access is more open access to my information than those i place into my coworkers and employer...this access is closed or limited because my business and personal life are two separate entities]
4. Signal to noise: [STOP...are you disregarding what I prefer?]
[I seek those interested in all social media experience. Nothing is off limits. However, I am more likely to disconnect to those who ramble about useless information and constant updates with no beneficial information.]
5. Personal data and sharing: [I share. You share.]
[I keep my most personal data for me. I'm looking to connect according to those who share the same or like interests and similar or related professional goals. Personal information is private]
6. My networking needs and uses: [Distinguish the uses for all of your social media outlets]
[MyFacebook and MySpace is primarily uses for connecting with my college friends and family only. However, my Linkedin, Twitter, careerbuilder account are mainly for professional uses.
Facebook: Network with friends, family, college associates
MySpace: Network with family and friends, however more leisure purpose
Linkedin & Career Builder: Network to help establish the job markets available and potential listings
Twitter: Network and connect with those with similar interest and beneficial information]
7. Your criteria here: [My Standards]
[These criteria were set to help establish the likes/dislikes, purpose and requirements for my social media policy. I place these restrictions to help sift through the spam related content]
8. Your criteria here: [Restrictions]
[I feel it's important to state your policy for social media in order to set a standard in which there will be no violations of what you individually prefer. Be stern and implimant your Standards and Restrictions according to your personal media policy.] This policy has helped me to create a standard to live by in my social media worlds and I encourage others to set a standard as well.
Monday, December 1, 2008
About Wachovia
When it comes to banking it's important to choose a company wisely. Are you currently an account holder, stockholder, stakeholder or etc with the Wachovia Corporation? Have you recently had concerns with the current transitions facing the Wachovia Corporation? If so, chances are you are one of those individuals who likes to stay current with the news at your current place of banking services. A series of blogs with the “411” or the “Scoop” about Wachovia’s transition of ownership and other news within the company may be of interest to you, but first a little about Wachovia:
Wachovia was "founded in 1879 in Winston, NC and First Union was found in 1908 in Charlotte, NC which merged on September 1, 2001 to create the Wachovia Corporation. It is considered to be the third largest U.S. full service brokerage firm, the fourth largest bank holding based on their assets, provides 21 states currently with full financial services. Furthermore, it’s considered to be the #1 financial services provider to middle market businesses in the western U.S. and a national presence in commercial banking (29 states), largest bank owned U.S. insurance brokerage Currently, Wachovia employs about 117,000 individuals. The company affects 15 million households and businesses, 16.1 million online product and service enrollments, and 5.3 million active online customers." (http://www.wachovia.com/inside/page/0,,1051_2180,00.html).
The Wachovia Corporation offers the following services: "wealth management: online services, insurance services, business services, trust and philanthropic services, treasury services, update alert services, personal and business finance services along with many other services." (http://search.wachovia.com/selfservice/microsites/wachoviaSearchEntry.do?searchString=servicesµsiteId=MS_INSIDEWACHOVIA_1_1&locale=LA_eng_US&usemicrosite=true&evaluateRF=true).
Fun Fact: According to the About Wachovia section, "the name Wachovia came from the latinized form of the name Wachau, which was given to the tract of land in the Piedmont region of North Carolina settled by Moravians in 1753. The name honored the settlers' connections to the Wachau Valley along the Danube River."
For more information regarding Wachovia, visit www.wachovia.com
Wachovia was "founded in 1879 in Winston, NC and First Union was found in 1908 in Charlotte, NC which merged on September 1, 2001 to create the Wachovia Corporation. It is considered to be the third largest U.S. full service brokerage firm, the fourth largest bank holding based on their assets, provides 21 states currently with full financial services. Furthermore, it’s considered to be the #1 financial services provider to middle market businesses in the western U.S. and a national presence in commercial banking (29 states), largest bank owned U.S. insurance brokerage Currently, Wachovia employs about 117,000 individuals. The company affects 15 million households and businesses, 16.1 million online product and service enrollments, and 5.3 million active online customers." (http://www.wachovia.com/inside/page/0,,1051_2180,00.html).
The Wachovia Corporation offers the following services: "wealth management: online services, insurance services, business services, trust and philanthropic services, treasury services, update alert services, personal and business finance services along with many other services." (http://search.wachovia.com/selfservice/microsites/wachoviaSearchEntry.do?searchString=servicesµsiteId=MS_INSIDEWACHOVIA_1_1&locale=LA_eng_US&usemicrosite=true&evaluateRF=true).
Fun Fact: According to the About Wachovia section, "the name Wachovia came from the latinized form of the name Wachau, which was given to the tract of land in the Piedmont region of North Carolina settled by Moravians in 1753. The name honored the settlers' connections to the Wachau Valley along the Danube River."
For more information regarding Wachovia, visit www.wachovia.com
Friday, November 21, 2008
Wachovia and The Groundswell
Using the Groundswells has become an increasingly growing tool for corporate companies. The Groundswell is something that many companies are adopting. What is it? The groundswell encourages the use of social media networks in order to get more feedback and to see what people are saying about your company. In this generation, Social media has become a part of our everyday lives.
My fortune 500 company choice was Wachovia and in order to examine to what extent they are engaging in the use of the groundswell…I hit the web! Immediately, I search Google for “Wachovia twitter” and up pops the Wachovia Company via twitter! Surprised? I think not! Twitter also includes a list of Companies that uses social media and those that do not at the following link: http://twarketing.com/tag/fortune-500/
It seems that the Twittering Fortune companies can be measured using a couple of categories that I've created based on how active they are or aren't.
Regular and Active: those that are using Twitter regularly and are engaging with others, or Irregular and Inactive those that have acquired the name of the company and aren’t sure of the uses of social media via Twitter and has little engagement with others. The process of figuring out the best way the groundswell can benefit them takes some research and there is a WRONG way to engage in Social Media.
To “successfully” use twitter - I’ll define what success means to me for using twitter. It's posting as often as possible in quicktime to a ample audience[a few hundred or more is expected]. Additionally collecting and responding to feedback using your Twitter Account measures your success.
Wachovia engages with their audiences on twitter, Blogs, myspace and other networks. I'd have to say that Wachovia is getting use to the Social Media and how it's important to participate with the audiences watching you. As a current account holder at Wachovia and an active person in social media I am always looking for news about the company...especially since they are in the midst of a transition. I'd recommend that Wachovia continues the use of the groundswell due to the technology trend of social media. It's engaging and always good to recieve feedback,
My fortune 500 company choice was Wachovia and in order to examine to what extent they are engaging in the use of the groundswell…I hit the web! Immediately, I search Google for “Wachovia twitter” and up pops the Wachovia Company via twitter! Surprised? I think not! Twitter also includes a list of Companies that uses social media and those that do not at the following link: http://twarketing.com/tag/fortune-500/
It seems that the Twittering Fortune companies can be measured using a couple of categories that I've created based on how active they are or aren't.
Regular and Active: those that are using Twitter regularly and are engaging with others, or Irregular and Inactive those that have acquired the name of the company and aren’t sure of the uses of social media via Twitter and has little engagement with others. The process of figuring out the best way the groundswell can benefit them takes some research and there is a WRONG way to engage in Social Media.
To “successfully” use twitter - I’ll define what success means to me for using twitter. It's posting as often as possible in quicktime to a ample audience[a few hundred or more is expected]. Additionally collecting and responding to feedback using your Twitter Account measures your success.
Wachovia engages with their audiences on twitter, Blogs, myspace and other networks. I'd have to say that Wachovia is getting use to the Social Media and how it's important to participate with the audiences watching you. As a current account holder at Wachovia and an active person in social media I am always looking for news about the company...especially since they are in the midst of a transition. I'd recommend that Wachovia continues the use of the groundswell due to the technology trend of social media. It's engaging and always good to recieve feedback,
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Up til’ Dawn’s “Write for a Bit”
Awareness week for Up til’ Dawn consists of one theme each on a different day with different events starting Tuesday until Friday.Up ‘til Dawn is a student organization at Georgia Southern University with the goals of raising money and awareness for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
“The purpose is to raise awareness about St. Jude’s through fundraising,” said 23-year-old Team Coordinator, Joey Tripp. “We do this through St. Jude’s solicitors,” he said.
St. Jude provides a prewritten letter and all that is required is that you fill out the information and anyone who knows someone that may help donate is mailed the letter. More so, there is no obligation to donate.
“There are definitely benefits for the children of St. Jude Children Research Center,” said Tripp. “All the money raised goes to St. Jude’s which supports the family and children which includes treatment, a place to stay and other costs that they may accumulate,” he said.
According to the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement, students can become involved in a variety of volunteer and leadership activities on campus through this department.
If I must add, this is a great opportunity for students to give back to the community and I would encourage everyone to participate in these activities to increase awareness.
“The purpose is to raise awareness about St. Jude’s through fundraising,” said 23-year-old Team Coordinator, Joey Tripp. “We do this through St. Jude’s solicitors,” he said.
St. Jude provides a prewritten letter and all that is required is that you fill out the information and anyone who knows someone that may help donate is mailed the letter. More so, there is no obligation to donate.
“There are definitely benefits for the children of St. Jude Children Research Center,” said Tripp. “All the money raised goes to St. Jude’s which supports the family and children which includes treatment, a place to stay and other costs that they may accumulate,” he said.
According to the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement, students can become involved in a variety of volunteer and leadership activities on campus through this department.
If I must add, this is a great opportunity for students to give back to the community and I would encourage everyone to participate in these activities to increase awareness.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Media Relations & Public Relations
New sources of media are becoming more popular in this day and age for the influencers of social media. For instance, You, "joe the plumber", and me are potential influences for the media content for the world. According to PRSA 2008 New Influences of Social Media Marketing, we are all able to report, publish, comment and create content and distribute it among mainstream media. The content of this blog expresses the declining nature of the traditional media. I believe this to be true due to the nature of my surroundings. For instance, more companies, organizations and etc are turning to the social media to rely on conveying messages through social media networks. The author suggests 10 secrets from Paul Gillin author of the New Influences of Social Media. As PR professials, understanding how people are a influencer of media marketing and will become more successful in our marketing and media strategies.
"1-Don't fear negativity.
Except criticism even if it's negative! Admtitting to your mistakes is best.
2-Start with the goal not the tool.
Inform and show your product through the best tools possible. Tools for conveying your message: "podcasts & online videos, blogs & etc)
3-Embrace niche markets.
Those spenders who are knowledgeable, engaging, responsive, and helpful are key to your product.
4-Empower your people to speak for your company.
Give your employees the chance to speak for your organization so they are able to inform others about your company.
5-Master Search.
Know how to search for your companies reputation through search engines.
6-Think like a publisher.
Spread your brand through online sources such as Twiiter, blog posts, RSS feeds and etc.
7-Ditch the 13 week campaign.
Social media lasts longer than campaigns ad allows you to see what people are talking about with your brand.
8-Don't be afraid to try something new.
Change how you usually approach things.
9-Use it straight.
Take your feedback and utilize it.
10-Give to get."
Asking for their needs ad wants may help you build what's important.
These tips are reasonable and will enable a company to succeed and figure out what's important to you as an influencer. If you rely on this tips you will help your company and brand. Additionally, the blog Strategic Public Relation focuses on the public relations strategy within integgrated marketing communications. (Kevin Dugan; July 2002.) This blog talks about how public relations professionals should tap in technology to pitch to a larger mass of people. Isn't that what we as PR practionioners have help influence with in the markets? Incresing search engine relevance as it increases audience engagement is the key idea for social media.
Conclusively, both articles conclude that using social media is a great tool for tracking your popularity and to seek what people conceive your product as. I think this is useful for companies to explore in order to find the answers that they need. Moreso, feedback is the result companies were looking for from their customers.
Tags: Public Relations, Social media
"1-Don't fear negativity.
Except criticism even if it's negative! Admtitting to your mistakes is best.
2-Start with the goal not the tool.
Inform and show your product through the best tools possible. Tools for conveying your message: "podcasts & online videos, blogs & etc)
3-Embrace niche markets.
Those spenders who are knowledgeable, engaging, responsive, and helpful are key to your product.
4-Empower your people to speak for your company.
Give your employees the chance to speak for your organization so they are able to inform others about your company.
5-Master Search.
Know how to search for your companies reputation through search engines.
6-Think like a publisher.
Spread your brand through online sources such as Twiiter, blog posts, RSS feeds and etc.
7-Ditch the 13 week campaign.
Social media lasts longer than campaigns ad allows you to see what people are talking about with your brand.
8-Don't be afraid to try something new.
Change how you usually approach things.
9-Use it straight.
Take your feedback and utilize it.
10-Give to get."
Asking for their needs ad wants may help you build what's important.
These tips are reasonable and will enable a company to succeed and figure out what's important to you as an influencer. If you rely on this tips you will help your company and brand. Additionally, the blog Strategic Public Relation focuses on the public relations strategy within integgrated marketing communications. (Kevin Dugan; July 2002.) This blog talks about how public relations professionals should tap in technology to pitch to a larger mass of people. Isn't that what we as PR practionioners have help influence with in the markets? Incresing search engine relevance as it increases audience engagement is the key idea for social media.
Conclusively, both articles conclude that using social media is a great tool for tracking your popularity and to seek what people conceive your product as. I think this is useful for companies to explore in order to find the answers that they need. Moreso, feedback is the result companies were looking for from their customers.
Tags: Public Relations, Social media
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