Progressions

Twitter Chatting With Your Chapter

Monthly #PRSSA Twitter Chats are opportunities for you to stay in contact with your PRSSA colleagues and interact with professionals. Every month, #PRSSA chats focus on a variety of topics relevant to students from every Chapter.

These chats, however, should be more than individual experiences. We encourage your entire Chapter — every member — to participate and make their voices heard.

Perhaps the best way to get your entire Chapter involved is to make an event out of it. Plan a successful Twitter Chat event for your Chapter with these tips:

Book the Appropriate Space
Obviously you should book a space large enough for anyone interested to attend, but you also should consider the logistics of the room. In order to maximize the experience, consider a space that has access to a projector — to keep a live stream of #PRSSA chat questions and answers — and a conference table — so that everyone can continue the conversation as the chat continues.

Some Chapters may also experience Wi-Fi problems at certain places on campus. Make sure that your space is not one of these places. A consistent connection is required to stay in rhythm with the chat.

Encourage Everyone to Bring Their Laptops and Participate
Some members may say that they will attend simply to watch the conversation happen on the projector screen and be done with it, or that they would rather the Chapter Twitter account to answer on their behalf.

Not only do we encourage Chapter Twitter accounts to participate, but we also encourage each member. Everyone has an important perspective and voice to contribute to the dynamic conversations of #PRSSA chats. The only way to truly get the most out of one is to bring your computer and get active.

Make It Appealing
#PRSSA chats are powerful resources in and of themselves. But why not spice things up by buying coffee, pizza or other refreshments?

Convert It Into Brainstorming
An incredible amount of ideas and enthusiasm are generated by #PRSSA chats. Take advantage of this by using the remainder of your event as a brainstorming session for the future of your Chapter.

Utilize TweetChat for Smooth Conversation
#PRSSA chats are fast paced and can be difficult to keep up with. Unless, of course, you’re using TweetChat. Here’s how. 

Note: All Twitter Chats take place at 9 p.m. EST. View the fall 2013 #PRSSA Twitter Chat schedule here.

What other ways can you make a successful #PRSSA chat for your Chapter?

This is a guest post by PRSSA vice president of public relations Ben Butler. Follow him on Twitter @BenButlerPR.