Author encourages students to be ahead of trends in media

Author of I Need a Killer Press Release-Now What???: A Guide to Online PR spoke to PR students in the fastest growing major at UVU. Photo credit: Skippy Jessop/ UVU Review

On Nov. 17 the Public Relations Club hosted a speech by online marketing expert and author Janet Meiners Thaeler. Thaeler discussed with students key points from her new book “I NEED A KILLER PRESS RELEASE-NOW WHAT???: A GUIDE TO ONLINE PR.

Thaeler’s book comes out at a time when many text books are scrambling to explain new technology. During her speech, Thaeler, who goes by @newspapergrl on Twitter and refers to herself as “The Lois Lane of the world wide web,” encouraged students to add her as a friend and to use it to make as many connections as possible to help further their careers.

“If you know online PR you will be in demand right now. You’re well poised to take advantage of the various online mediums and get killer results for your clients”, said Thaeler. “Your generation grew up as digital natives. Many are looking to you to help them understand and adapt to these changes.”

Of the more than 70 students in attendance, most were PR majors, which is the fastest growing major at UVU with over 600 students.

Senior, Millie Dadson said, “I learned that when you write a press release you need to get it out as much as possible. I’m working on a press release for my friends art show, so now I’ll be putting it on his blog, my blog and encouraging my friends to repost it to get the word out faster.”

The night ended with refreshments, music from local bluegrass artist Matt Williams and Thaeler signing copies of her book which can be purchased on Amazon.com as well as her website www.newspapergirl.com