Having joined connective3 back in mid-November, I’ve now been part of the digital PR world for just over four months now. So, I thought I’d give an insight into some things I’ve learnt with the hopes that this blog post will be useful to any other people like me who has recently joined the industry with zero experience; or perhaps for anyone else looking to get into PR.
GET USED TO HEARING NO
Rejection and criticism are two things that are inevitable in this job, so remaining optimistic and having thick skin is important.
You might spend time pulling together a campaign deck you are super passionate about, but this doesn’t mean your clients will love the ideas the same way you do. Similarly, a campaign you’ve been excited about launching might actually not get picked up as you had hoped.
If you find yourself in a situation like this you need to be on top of it – why is it not working, what can you do about it, can you change anything? Is it worth pushing or do you just leave it to one side and focus on the next big thing instead to ensure you’re not wasting time and still driving results?
Use any ‘setbacks’ as motivation to drive you!
RELEVANCY IS KEY
Ensuring that everything you do has a clear objective is the key to running an effective campaign.
If you don’t think it is going to appeal to your client’s target audience then you seriously need to re-think your strategy. Ultimately, you need to make sure that your content is going to get attention from the right people.
As I’m sure you already know, media lists and contacts are a major part of working in PR and whilst having a list of 500+ journalists from various outlets may look impressive, if you’re not targeting smart then it’s pretty much pointless. Instead of building an unnecessarily long media list, take the time to find relevant contacts who you believe will actually cover your content and you’re onto a winner!
Similarly, it’s all about the angles. Different angles will not only add more interest and depth to your campaign but also allow you to further your outreach to a whole new audience.
Maybe you could even revisit a campaign and make it an annual occurrence? One of my favourite examples of this would have to be Spotify Wrapped which actually exposed quite a few secret Lady Gaga superfans at c3 earlier this year.
IT’S NON-STOP
I’m not going to lie; digital PR is a non-stop job.
Agency life means you have to have great time management skills and there are times when it can all become overwhelming with the number of different tasks you need to get done.
Personally, I enjoy being constantly busy and love that no two days are the same, but it is important to take time for yourself as well. Some things I find useful include going out for a walk at lunch, putting some upbeat music on whilst working, and making sure to properly relax in the evening. Even little organisational things like having a to-do list written down are helpful, plus crossing a task off is always super satisfying.
COMMUNICATION IS VITAL
Under the current circumstances, with most of us working from home, communication is probably more important than ever.
If something isn’t working, speak up. If you’re unsure about something, ask.
Making sure to properly communicate with your team is vital in ensuring that everyone understands what’s going on, what they need to be doing, and that nothing gets missed.
However, having great communication skills is also an important part of PR. Being able to make connections with other people in the industry will open your mind and allow you to learn from those around you. For me, Twitter has been a great space to follow others, make connections, and gain valuable knowledge including some super useful tips and advice.
MISTAKES ARE INEVITABLE
Being a perfectionist is always a bit of a double-edged sword but recognising and acknowledging that things might not always go your way is a step in the right direction.
As I mentioned, working in PR means taking on many roles and we tend to have a lot going on at once so it’s highly likely that you’re going to make a mistake here and there.
My advice would be to not just double-check, but triple-check everything! Not only that but learning from your mistakes is the best way to grow and whilst nobody likes messing up, you’ll be sure to never make the same mistake again.
For more information about PR here at c3, head here.
