In my last entry, I expressed my concern in providing content for a blog. Since then, I have focused on quickly identifying possible content for use, effectively screening content, and providing useful commentary for posts. My concerns about efficient performance of this task have mostly subsided.

As another reminder of content streams’ importance, they have been discussed in every marketing and networking panel I have attended—as ways for consumers to be informed, entertained, and involved with the product or service in which they are interested. As long as posts are relevant the brand, even trivial questions to fans can garner effective involvement. All Shall Perish, a metal band I follow on Facebook, posted on the 4th of July, “How many ASP fans plan to grill large amounts of meat today followed by blowing s*** up?” A day later, the post was crowded with hundreds of responses.

Last week, I was then charged with composing a press release for an artist performing later this summer, the first to be assigned to me under this internship. In spite of my past experience writing press releases, the final product of my efforts demanded a fastidious summary. When I had composed press releases for artists at The Red Room, most of the release was information directly lifted from an artist’s bio. This would help to remain consistent with the artist’s brand: a representative of an artist once contacted me to have the artist’s last name abbreviated rather than spelled in its entirety for her show’s promotion and press; so if a detail seemingly trite as abbreviation creates brand inconsistency, then an original synopsis of an artist is risking the same.

Yet I was now presented with the task of providing what was to be my own original press release, rather than simply removing or adding details to an existing artist bio. As my coordinator expressed after I provided her with its first draft, I even used too many quotations from the artist and his colleagues. I am slightly surprised at the challenge of a task whose name is identical yet its requirements different than what I have previously performed. To me, this demonstrates varying demands between different companies of the same assignment.

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Read Michael’s Previous Posts

Setting Goals, Managing Time

Big Box vs. Startups, Lessons in Early Planning

Refining Previous Experience

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Bio
Mike LosticaMichael Lostica is attending his seventh and final semester at Berklee as a Music Business major. He interns for World Music/CRASHarts in Cambridge. The organization presents traditional and contemporary arts in Boston, as well as organizing educational programs. Michael also supervises promotions for The Red Room @ Cafe 939. After graduating, he will remain in Boston to develop and grow with Noize Tank, the band he shares with other Berklee students.

Learn about Michael, his internship site and his band
http://www.worldmusic.org
http://www.facebook.com/weliveforlivemusic
http://www.facebook.com/noizetankband

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