It’s called Kort’s Kicks and believe it or not, the idea came from a seven-year-old… with a little help from his mom, of course.

Kort McLean

The picture above is Kort. Kort loves getting new shoes! One day, he asked his mom to help him give other kids the opportunity to get news shoes. So they came up with Kort’s Kicks.

Kort and his family live in Winter Garden, Fl., and have teamed up with local schools and churches in order to find the greatest need for children’s shoes in the community. Each pair of shoes that are sent will be documented and given to a child in need.

While this donation is not tax deductible, you would be helping a seven-year-old boy fulfill his desire to help those who are less fortunate. Kort is learning a lot through this experience and what it means to make a difference in the lives of those around him.

Interested in helping? If so, send any size children’s shoes to Kort’s Kicks, c/o Tammy McLean, 2582 Maguire Rd #179, Ocoee, FL 34761.

You can also like them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KortsKicks.

Help promote their cause by sending shoes, sharing this post and their Facebook page. Let’s help make a difference in the lives of children this holiday season!

Kort with little brother Cash saying thank you!

- Alisha

(All photos taken by Tammy McLean. Permission to use photos also from Tammy McLean).

Click here to see original image.

1. Meditate

No, I don’t mean go to a yoga class (although that would help, too). I mean let all those stressful thoughts go. I find myself stressing about what I have to do the next day when I’m trying to fall asleep. Whenever those stressful thoughts enter your mind, simply tell yourself to let it go and refocus your energy on what you’re doing in that moment. In my case, sleeping.

2. Picture yourself relaxed

What calms you down? Got it? Okay, now visualize that. When we picture ourselves doing things that make us happy we can relax more.

3. Breathe deeply

Pretty self explanatory, right?

4. Look around you

Be present in the here-and-now. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Be aware of your surroundings and be present right where you are.

5. Drink hot tea

Coffee tends to raise our stress hormones, while tea can help calm our spirits.

6. Show some love

Do the things that give you those warm fuzzies inside. Play with your dog, give a family member a hug, cuddle with your spouse, or spend time with a good friend.

7. Try a self-massage

When you’re tense you can’t relax. Give yourself a little back rub and go on your merry way.

8. Take a time-out

I need one of those right now. When you feel the stress building, or can sense yourself getting mad, remove yourself from the situation and gather your thoughts.

9. Try a musical detour

Who doesn’t love music? Try a slow tune that will slow your heart for about 30 minutes.

10. Take an attitude break

A positive mind creates a positive attitude. Surround yourself with positivity, especially during stressful times.

Good luck on your finals, WCU students! You all will do great!

To see the full article, click here.

- Alisha

Part of my grade for the class depended on getting 15 lab hours. We have a student-run TV station at WCU called TV 62. We were allowed to work with TV 62 in order to get our lab hours. So I decided to finish mine for the semester by volunteering with TV 62 for one of the biggest basketball games of the season. WCU vs. Appalachian State University.

Official TV 62 Logo

The TV 62 crew threw me right into the action! I was one of the two floor camera operators and it was really exciting! I was right in the action and got a lot of practice filming a live, fast-paced event.

I think it’s really cool how the communication department at WCU offers their students so many opportunities to gain real-world experience!

Check out the game below.

- Alisha

WCU Night is this Friday, Dec. 7 from 5-9 p.m. in downtown Dillsboro. Students, faculty and staff will enjoy special discounts and lots of fun events. Check out the YouTube video below for complete details.

“No other industry or discipline has been more affected by the ramifications of social media and online engagement more than public relations.”

-Scott Stratten in The Book of Business Awesome.

PR professionals around the world have the opportunity to reach customers in a huge way these days. When customers have a bad experience they can share it instantly. Many times, it’s the job of the PR professional to fix these issues. But, as Stratten writes, “if your greatest asset as a PR person is who you can fax things to, then you are about 20 years behind. You need to learn the world of social media.”

“PR no longer stands for only public relations; it means people react, people respond, and people reach out.”

Stratten defines the difference between a PR fail and a PR success as three things:

1. Timing:

Waiting to respond can cause even bigger problems. And when I say you shouldn’t wait to respond to an event, I mean you shouldn’t even wait an hour. Responding via social media should only take minutes.

2. Accountability:

OWN YOUR MISTAKES. Period. Let me repeat: Own your mistakes. It’s simple really. People are much more likely to be understanding when you admit that you messed up.

3. Appropriate Personality

Adjust how you react to a situation or event based on the people involved. Everyone is different, so be aware.

“When it hits the fan in business, it’s not time to hide behind the fan. It’s time to be awesome.”

Every bad situation is an opportunity to redefine someone’s opinion of your brand, so take it.

- Alisha

Photo from barnesandnoble.com

There is a chapter in the book about Stratten’s experience with the professional basketball team, Phoenix Suns. He reserved his game ticket online with ease, but found out why it was so easy when he realized that his view of the game would be obstructed by a huge pole.

So he tweeted the Suns. Ten minutes later they tweeted back, asked for his seat number, physically came to his seat and walked him to a game suite to make it up to him. But they didn’t do all that just because of Stratten’s huge online presence. There were several other average people (like me and you) sitting there, who had also tweeted the Suns about their seats.

So I decided to tweet the Suns myself to tell them I thought they were pretty awesome for doing that. This is what I got back:

Pretty cool, right? Of course my social media nerd side came out and I got really excited when they tweeted me back. But that’s just it: fans and customers love it when you respond to them! This will set you above and beyond your competition and make your customers feel like your brand is actually listening to them.

Here’s a few more tweets by the Suns that really stood out:

Notice how they tweet “Your Suns?” This type of language tells fans that they have a big role in the success of the Suns and that this team truly views their fans as family.

I loved this! This tweet shows that the Phoenix Suns truly love their customers. Not only are they saying thank you, but they are giving away an incentive for doing something really simple: retweeting. By doing this, fans will retweet and others will be able to see just how generous the Suns really are.

Simple social media strategies can make a big differences for your business!

- Alisha

Thanksgiving.      Thanks. Giving.      Give thanks.

According to Merriam- Webster, Thanksgiving is defined as the act of giving thanks.

Have you thanked someone today? Have you thanked someone today just because it was Thanksgiving, or would you have done it regardless? This holiday always challenges my thinking. Why do we only have one day set aside to say thank you? Should we not be thankful all the time?

Don’t get me wrong, I love Thanksgiving. It just makes me feel really shallow. As I sit and stuff my face, there are people around the world who are starving. As I complain about having to clean up after dinner, there are people who don’t even have a house with a kitchen to clean. But I say thank you when someone refills my drink or cuts me a slice of pie, so I’m good.

Here’s the thing: I think setting aside one day to be extra thankful is a good thing, but I want to try and show a little more gratitude. I’m really blessed. More than a lot of people in the world and I don’t say thank you nearly enough.

So let’s try something. Next time you are in a hurry to get your coffee and make it to class or work on time, make sure you stop and say thank you to the man or woman who made it. Next time you’re too busy to meet a friend for lunch, make time. Give your time to grow and maintain your relationships because at the end of the day, that’s all we really have.

I hope your day has been great. Mine sure has. Thanksgiving is an eye-opening holiday. I am always reminded of two simple things: say thank you, and give. Give yourself and your time to the ones you love.

Happy Thanksgiving!

- Alisha

I don’t just like this video because I, myself, had no clue how to cook a turkey, but I loved the interaction these videos gave the audience. Along with being interactive, they’re easy to follow, creative and actually really helpful! The videos also include little sayings throughout that make you feel at home. And that’s what the holidays are all about: being with those we love.

Marketing tip: if a customer can actually visualize themselves using a product, they’re more likely to buy it.

Check it out:

- Alisha

Photo from dreamstime.com

While I try to avoid the cluster of people who put their lives on the line for the sake of savings, according to Mashable’s recent article, here are 10 Black Friday Deals You Can’t Afford to Miss:

1. XBox 360 Holiday Bundles

This includes the console, Kinect and two games. Price: $249.99- $399.99

2. Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (Wi-Fi) 32GB

The 32GB will be the price of the 16 GB and the 16 GB will also be cheaper! Price: $499.99

3. LG Blu-Ray Player

On sale at Walmart. Price: $38

4. Samsung Laptop Bundle

This is an AWESOME deal! The bundle includes a 15.6 inch laptop that has a 500 GB hard drive, Webroot security software, laptop sleeve, wireless mouse, and an 8 GB flash drive! Price: $349.95

5. Sharp 70-Inch Aquos LED Smart TV

This LED Smart TV will be on sale at Sears. Price: $1,999.99

6. Canon T3 DSLR Bundle

This deal includes the camera, lens, bag and memory card! You can grab these savings at Target! Price: $499.99

7. Beats by Dr. Dre

Get $20 off these headphones at Radio Shack. Price: $179.99

8. Nook Color

Barnes & Noble’s Nook Color will be for sale at Walmart this Friday! Price: $99

9. ASUS Google Nexus 7 Tablet (32GB)

On sale at Office Depot. Price: $229.99

10. Roku HD Streaming Video Player

On sale at Best Buy. Price: $39.99

Happy savings! Read the full article here!

- Alisha

In my time at WCU, I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of an amazing sisterhood. As I wrote in my previous post, I joined Alpha Xi Delta in the fall of 2010. If you had asked me then if I saw myself being the president of my organization, I would have told you that you were crazy! Leading 55 plus girls? No way!

A few of my sorority sisters!

I became president this time last year and I must say, I have learned more about being a leader this past year than I ever have in my entire life! Here’s a few of my suggestions for being a better leader:

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

One of my biggest resources during my term was the former president and my chapter advisers. If it hadn’t been for them, I would have been extremely lost when making big decisions. Asking for help when you don’t know what to do is so much better than acting out of impulse and finding out you did the wrong thing.

2. Adjust to Personalities

Leading 57 women, all of which have different personalities, was definitely a huge lesson for me. No one is the same. You have to find a way to change how you speak to people based on their personalities. One person might take something you say more personally then another person would. Learn your followers and adjust your communication style based on them.

3. Think before you speak

You can’t please everyone, but you also don’t want to turn everyone against you. Be aware of how something you say can effect those around you. As a leader, people are listening closely to what you say and saying the wrong thing can lead to disaster.

4. Be present

If you make an event mandatory for an entire group, be there. If you aren’t, you are  telling the group of people you are leading that you want the power, but don’t want to put in the work.

5. Listen

Remember that your ideas are not the only good ones. Allow those you are leading to have their input heard so they can feel as though they are contributing to the betterment of the organization/ business as a whole. When people feel like that are actually making a contribution, they are much more likely to play an active role.

“Leadership is influence.”

-John C. Maxwell

- Alisha