#5 Tips For Aspiring PR Professionals Yes there is no denial that events are an important part of PR but mind it they are just a part of it
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Are you planning to pursue a career in Public Relations? Does the PR world excites you or is it just because you have diploma or degree in it making it easiest and fastest career option. Here are five tips that would help you to decide whether you would like to be in PR and how long will you go in the field.
It's Much Beyond Glamour
Is it the glamour of the events as the first and the foremost thing that attracts you to this field? then you need to re-think. PR is much beyond that.
Yes there is no denial that events are an important part of PR but mind it they are just a part of it.
Secondly not all events are glamorous and even if you are handling a Page 3 party you are going to be on media registration desk doing calls half of the time. You also have to ensure that you coordinate between the client and the media photographers because as a PR you are responsible for the coverage of that party. In case a media guys want to have a byte with the celebrities in the party you have to ensure that nothing under the influence of alcohol is making headlines in the media next day. So don't think that getting media in the events ends your job it goes on till the party ends to ensure that a good party gets a good coverage.
Content is the King
Writing is something you don't enjoy much but yes you are presentable and can speak well. While the latter makes you 50% eligible for the job, the rest 50 % still lies with the former. Yes you defiantly need to be presentable with good communication skills but your writing skills are going to play a very important role deciding your future in PR. Press Release is one thing we all know and relate to PR profile but what about the pitch notes, profiles of spokesperson, talking points of spokesperson for any conference, stories and post for website. Yes you have to do all this and if your writing skills are not a match to your presentation skills, you definitely have a problem there. Content is such an integral and important part of this industry that nearly every PR agency or company takes a writing test before hiring a PR person. And believe me a copy paste job from internet won't work. We all are smart enough to find it out.
Pack your Bags, be on Your Toes
PR is not a 9-5 office job or desk job. You need to be ready to catch an early flight tomorrow, even if you have no intimation till 5 pm today.
As a job, PR requires travelling whether organizing a press conference in a location where client's project is coming up or taking media fam tours or even being at the side of your client while he/she is going to address on a company crisis. Even when you are not travelling outstation, a media round to meet the media personals whom you have worked and interacted over internet till now, would be required as a part of your job.
A face to connect always helps and believe me at times you get good story angles too during such meeting. A voice with a face defiantly builds a better relation than just a voice and an email.
A Working Weekend
Hey let catch up this Sunday, no I have an event this Sunday. You will often hear this line from a PRProfessional.Lot of events, seminars happen on weekends and as a PR professional you have to be there. Companies do give comp off as per their policies but yes be ready for working weekends. Remember a lot goes behind making an event/ campaign a success, and it definitely feels good when you receive good coverage and appreciation from your boss or client for all your hard work.
Patience and Persistence
You certainly need to have both of these in abundance for being a good PR professional. No PR class will tell you about the cold calls you have to do for creating a media data base or updating an earlier one. Plus remember you don't pay to anyone to attend your event or to write your story in PR so you need to be patient and persistence in your efforts and follow ups.
One side you have to make your client understand who is in a hurry to get publicity on the other side you also have to see the schedule, interest of the media person. While experience will come with time but patience and persistence have to be key features incorporated in your attitude if you want to be in successful PR professional.
