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You never stop learning in the public relations industry. You can always be a better writer, listener and practitioner. The reason why you are in the position you are today is not just because of YOU. At some point you received help or advice from someone else, whether it was a professor, colleague or mentor.
I asked three members of Phoenix PRSA’s new pros group, who each have at least two years of professional experience to answer a question that can provide valuable insight to new pros or college students.
What’s the most common mistake you made as a new PR pro or you see newer pros make??
Katy Kelewae: This is a balancing act. New pros need to find a happy medium between thinking they know everything and questioning their skills too much (thinking they don’t know enough). It is OK to make a few mistakes, just remember what you did, why you did it and then change your thinking the next time you are in that situation. At the same time, while I’m sure there are plenty of very smart new pros out there who did very well on their capstone projects, they need to remember that the “real world” is different and they need time to learn (again).
Christina Salgado: One of the most common mistakes that I’ve been guilty of, and see many new PR pros doing, is in the area of pitching and coming up with story angles. All too often, I see a lot of press releases and pitches that sell the company, not a story. You walk a fine line between putting out a story for a reporter, and a selling a brochure for the company on paper. It’s important to remember that you’re writing just as much for the media as you are for your company, and it can’t be too heavily saturated with selling points for your business.
Another mistake I see new pros make is not giving reporters enough information for their story. In order to optimize the chances for news outlets to pick up your story, you have to be able to serve everything for them on a silver platter. This includes a heavily detailed story and photos and ALWAYS offer to put the reporter in touch with the subject of the story for an interview.
Last, it’s important to abide by editorial deadlines! Know the deadlines of every magazine and newspaper. Keep a monthly calendar handy, so you know what magazine and newspaper issues are coming up, and how your client can fit within those stories.
Effie Moore: My mistake was I didn’t take advantage of all of my resources. I encourage new pros to volunteer, create, and take on new projects and to interview people they admire. Set three month goals, ask a lot of questions and find out what your company is willing to invest into you. Network with other PR pros. To have someone in the industry to go to that understands your challenges is priceless.
All three fellow pros bring up great points. I was interviewed recently about this topic and gave the same answer along time lines as Katy, don’t pretend to know everything. Christina makes a great point too, remember to pitch a story, not sell the company. Finally, Effie hits it head on when saying it’s important to take advantage of your resources.
Feel free to chime in – what’s the most common mistake you made as a new PR pro or you see other newer pros make?
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Comments
06.23.09
This was not the valuable information I was hoping to obtain.
06.23.09
I'm sorry you feel that way Kayla. The post (which was posted late Sunday night) received 300 views yesterday and had multiple comments on it at my Web site: http://www.theprpractitioner.com
Kayla, please feel free to add your advice for other young PR pros and college PR students. One of the best things we can do as PR pros is give back and help future PR pros. The better prepared the are for the industry, the better PR pro they will be.
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