Strategic Planning for Spring Break

One more. One final spring break.

I’ve had a spring break for 15 years, but after this week I can say goodbye to that bit of free time. That’s not a bad thing, but I’m excited to make the most of it.

Using a PR approach, I’m going to take you through my plan for this week.

Goal: To have experiences I’ll never forget.

Traveling is one of my favorite things to do. The important thing to remember when it comes to any vacation is taking the whole experience in, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

What’s one place that is known for making a lasting impression? Las Vegas, baby.

Now is the time in the planning process when you set the guidelines to show if you will achieve your goal.

Objective 1: Take part in five fun activities.

One great way to make the most of my trip is to involve myself in many different activities around the city. I’m looking forward to seeing a show or two, wandering around the streets and making spur-of-the-moment decisions.

Strategy: Make reservations.

Tactic: Cirque Du Soleil O.

Shows are one of the biggest attractions in Las Vegas. I can’t wait to see and experience this popular show. Everyone has heard of Cirque Du Soleil, but I finally get to see one for myself.

Tactic: Dinner at a top rated restaurant.

Strategy: Take a ton of pictures.

Nothing makes a memory last like a picture you can keep forever.

Tactic: Take at least three photos at each attraction or activity.

Tactic: Post at least once a day on social media.

Having these pictures to look back at will be a great reminder of this trip.

Objective 2: Limit sleep to five hours per night.

The only thing sleep does on a big trip is get in the way. I can rest when I’m home.

Strategy: Wake up early.

Tactic: Be ready by 7:30 every morning.

Strategy: Late night living.

Tactic: Don’t go back to the room until midnight.

Objective 3: Decrease computer time by 70 percent.

We are constantly consumed by working on the computer nonstop, so this week will be a great opportunity to take a break from that.

Strategy: Spend time with friends and family.

Tactic: Get a meal with high school friends.

Tactic: Take my little cousin out for an afternoon of fun and laughter.

My little cousin is one of my favorite people and we never get to see each other, so I am already planning all of the great things we can do.

Strategy: Baseball.

Vacation can’t last forever and at some point you have to return to work. Luckily my work is great, Auburn Baseball

Tactic: Return to Auburn for the Florida series.

Baseball games are many and each are long, but they offer great plays, great weather and a great atmosphere.

The way I will know if I met my goal of having unforgettable experiences over the break is by looking at each objective to see if I achieved them.

Vegas, here I come!!

3 Steps to a Great Galentine's Day

Galentine’s Day, a celebration we’ve seen more and more in recent years. And you know what? It’s great! The whole idea around Valentine’s Day is to spend time with the one you love. When it comes to Galentine’s Day, you get so much more love from all of your pals and what isn’t great about that?

Just like the perfect Valentine's date, your Galentine’s party could use some organization, so here are three steps to having the perfect time with all your gal pals.

This public relations process is easily transferred to a simple idea like Galentine's. Using research, strategies, planning tactics and logistics can really help take your fun event to the next level.

Step One: Planning

Girls. We plan. It’s in our nature. Which is good, because a lot goes into this step.

First, you want to figure out who’s coming and how many people you want there. This leads you into your research phase. What do your friends want to do? What do they enjoy? How can you make them feel special?

There’s really so many options. You could go have a nice dinner with a couple close friends, or you could throw a huge dance and dessert party for all the single friends in your crew. There’s also the popular option to curl up with a Rom-Com and eat way more candy than you should.

Once you decide the direction of your gathering, the next step: FOOD. Besides all of the love being shown, I think we can all agree the food options are key. It’s ultimately what everyone is thinking about.

Another question on peoples' minds: what picture they can post. These days it’s all about that Instagram post, the perfect picture with a clever caption. Think about giving your girls a good backdrop. As for the caption, go ahead and start planning the one to make all of your friends say “Yesss, best caption ever. Best night ever.”

Need some inspiration? This article has ideas for each part of the party! Food, activities, decorations, Julep.com has you covered.

Now that the fun night is planned, on to the next step.

Step Two: Implementation

Two big things go into this phase of Galentine’s Day, the first being making the plans happen.  

You’ve got the night planned, now you need to do all of the little things to set the plans into play.

• Send out the invites. (Go with E-vites if you’re cool or a group text works)
• Cook/order the food
• Pick up a good Chick Flick or a fun game
• Hang a cute Galentine’s Day sign

Another thing to think of is the logistics of all of the plans. Be sure to plan out your day accordingly to have enough time to get everything done. It's also good to ask yourself if you want your friends to bring anything, if you need help setting up or if you've missed anything.

Now that set up is complete, it’s time for the fun. The next thing to do here is to enjoy yourself!

Step Three: Evaluation

The fun night is over and you were able to spend time with all of your best buds.

How was it? Did your friends enjoy themselves? How was the food? Along with looking at the event as a whole, you should also see how well you stuck to your plan and ask yourself if the tactics you used were the best choices. 

Just take some time to soak in all the memories made. Was it fun?

❤                          ❤                          ❤                          ❤                          ❤                          ❤

A lot of people would never think to apply a professional process or idea to an everyday event or get together, but this PR process is an easy, great choice to ensure the best time!

Here's a simple recap of the three-steps used; Planning, Implementation, Evaluation. P.I.E. Pie. I think you should add pie to the dessert list for you Galentine’s Day fun.