Here’s How to Dip Into @PRSASV #FridayForums on Clubhouse
Gerard Corbett, APR, Fellow PRSA
Founder @ Redphlag | APR, College of Fellows
By Gerry Corbett, APR, Fellow PRSA, PRSA-SV Executive Board Advisor & Chair and CEO of Redphlag
PRSA Silicon Valley dipped its collective ears, voices and toes into Clubhouse last week when Smart Media Hustle Founder Ramon Ray engaged, entertained and enlightened a global group of some 50 PR professionals. MC’d by Chapter President/HP Global Head of Print Communications Vanessa Yanez and backed up by Executive Board Advisor/Redphlag CEO Gerry Corbett, this #FridayForum’s topics included social media, the future of media, PR careers, networking and venture funding, to name a few.
Founded in 2020, Clubhouse is a voice-based social network app that’s quickly built a reputation as the next great place for people to meet, talk, and share ideas. It lets you create and join "rooms" where you can chat with others in a big conference call. There are no pictures, videos, or text — just audio.
Clubhouse App Facts
- Download through the Apple App Store (Android version is in development)
- Membership is by invitation only
- A “drop-in audio” format facilitates real-time conversations; everyone gets to ask questions, raise issues, seek and give advice
- Members are encouraged to create profiles with definable interests
- Virtual discussion rooms are based on interests and other factors
How to Succeed at Using Clubhouse
- Be a great listener, be honest, open, thoughtful and professional; above all, just “be yourself”
- If you want to speak, raise your hand and be prepared to add value to the discussion
- When you’re done, return back to the audience
For example, during the 2/12 #FridayForum, a new PR pro asked for advice on how to use Clubhouse to get ahead, career-wise. Attendees suggested:
- Follow people who are doing what you want to do and read what they write
- Ask questions and engage in dialogue based on your interests
- Most important, find a mentor or even a board of mentors
Welcoming More Voices
We predict this app is here to stay. Based on the success of our first #FridayForum on the new Clubhouse app, PRSA-SV definitely plans to use this platform again in the future. Let us know what you think.
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Gerard (Gerry) F. Corbett is Founder, Chair and CEO of Redphlag LLC , a strategic branding and communications services and counseling firm and Board Advisor at Infinite Retina and the Museum of Public Relations. Gerry has more than four decades of technology, PR and marketing experience in several Fortune 200 firms. He also is past chair and CEO of the Public Relations Society of America and an avid photographer, and career coach and blogger.
SVP External Communications, Public Information Officer at Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
3yThanks for the recap, Gerry! While it's early days, loving the conversations to be had. The challenge...getting on the app and then discovering conversations that matter to you. Loved talking with pros from so many countries with similar aspirations and challenges, all looking to connect with each other. Especially loved this from your blog: "A new PR pro asked for advice on how to use Clubhouse to get ahead, career-wise. Attendees suggested: 1) Follow people who are doing what you want to do and read what they write 2) Ask questions and engage in dialogue based on your interests and 3) Most important, find a mentor or even a board of mentors." There is so much more to come.