Top 5 and 1 More Tips for a Successful PR Specialist
By: Antonina Ria
Tags: Pr, Public Relations, Prpros, Communication Skills

Photo: Depositphotos / PhotoXPress

Have you ever felt this proud feeling of your heart beating faster because of a brand or idea you’ve promoted is discussed in the street or tagged in social media? Of course, not because your company messed up but because they are incredibly interested in your project. This is the moment that defines you as a committed PR Specialist. I would like to share with you some tools of the trade that will help you feel like a real pro and build effective public relations.

First ‒ Never give up

Sounds kinda boring like “you should eat healthy food” but make sure you stick to your guns. It is the first and most essential requirement of a PR Specialist. You send a PR story to the media ‒ they ignore ‒ you send a follow up or choose another channel of communication or change your pitch ‒ they still ignore, but you must try, try and try again. PR is a game in which you must constantly “try again”. Even if you don’t see an immediate result ‒ your task is to make a sound in the hope that somebody will hear it, if not today then in a year. Be patient, persistent ‒ and mother luck will smile on you.

Second ‒ To be crazy is normal

If you want to attract the attention of the public, you should go beyond its expectations. Do not be afraid of crazy ideas ‒ they will not bite. Usually people better remember those who break the mould. For example, during quarantine Burger King attracted its visitors to support other brands ‒ its competitors a.k.a ‘enemies’ ‒ such as KFC and McDonalds. Just remember about the tone of voice and the third point which you will find below.

Third ‒ All we need is empathy

You should feel the audience. Inhale, close your eyes, imagine your recipient, exhale… and face up to reality: your feelings should be based on data. Find out all you need to know (or take this data from the guys in marketing): what they like to read, listen, watch, where they travel and eat, which transport they choose, how they talk and who they vote for president, their habits and favorite games from their childhood, even the toothpaste they use. The better you know them inside out ‒ the more chances you have to be on the same wavelength. That’s why we pay so much for advertising on Google or Facebook ;)

Fourth ‒ Read, listen, watch, create, repeat

PR pros always need to stay relevant. If the whole world is prisoned in quarantine, it’s silly to talk about a wonderful trip even if your brand is a travel agency. Your messages should undergo a change according to the situation. Additionally, be sure to follow art influencers in order to be up-to-date with visual trends and find which movements are important for your audience. Inspiration for creative ideas will not come to you if your mind is ‘hungry’. Feed your mind with some kind of exhibitions, movies, music etc, in order to keep these thoughts flowing.

Fifth ‒ Count, even if it is boring

You don’t work in the commercial department and maybe you chose PR to avoid Math but you need to take counting seriously. How can we count relations? It’s a very popular question because every situation is unique, there’s no one right answer. But to have a sense of purpose in PR, you should know a company’s aspirations. Use famous IPRA Codes (Principles of International Public Relations Association, IPRA) or figure out your own way for each campaign. Count your results, use PR monitoring even if it’s not a digital PR. I believe you can’t do away with it. Don’t communicate just for the sake of communication.

One more ‒ Communicate AMAP

When your task manager cracks at the seams: to check an article, to send some items, to discover new bloggers or to prepare a new speech ‒ don’t forget to communicate with people. Sit and talk by your mouth and listen by your ears. You might not believe me but it works: you can find lots of important ideas and even receive propositions when you meet new people at some kind of event or visit the headquarters of a newspaper. The key to fruitful cooperation is in the garden of communication.