Category: Public Relations

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Tools To Make PR Less Like ER

Tools To Make PR Less Like ER by Gabriela Rudolph

By Gabriela Rudolph

As someone working in public relations, keeping up with social media and tasks can be a heavy lift. What if I were to tell you that there are online tools that can make your job just a bit easier? I’ve decided to compile this list for different areas of PR: 

Social Media

  1. Canva

Canva can make just about anyone a graphic designer. Even with the free version, users can create visually appealing social media graphics for every platform. It’s very easy to use and also includes templates to make the designing process even easier. Canva graphics can also be shared with others, which is great when collaborating with your team. The general version of Canva is free and Canva Pro is $119/year.

  1. Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a social media management tool that allows you to schedule social media posts ahead of time and analyze results. Hootsuite starts off at $49 and allows you to manage up to 10 social media accounts.

  1. Buffer

If you want a more simple social media management tool, Buffer is a great start and offers a free plan that allows you to manage up to three accounts. What I like about Buffer is that you can design a free “Start Page” that combines all your social media accounts in one place. This is similar to LinkTree, but what makes it better is that it does the work for you.

Media Relations/Outreach

  1. Muck Rack

Muck Rack is your best friend when it comes to building a media list and finding journalists’ contact information. Simply type in the reporter’s name and Muck Rack will provide you with their contact information, their current position, a list of news outlets they’ve written for and their latest articles. Journalists sometimes will include times that they prefer to receive pitches, or how long they prefer pitches. Muck Rack is the best for young PR professionals because of its free tools.

  1. Cision

Similar to Muck Rack, Cision is media monitoring software with a large media database and PR analytical tools. The drawback to Cision is that it is a bit more complex to use rather than Muck Rack. However, it’s worth looking into because of its many features.

  1. HARO

Part of Cision, HARO stands for Help A Reporter Out. This tool matches journalists and PR practitioners together. How it works is that journalists will send out an inquiry and PR practitioners have the opportunity to answer their questions and send a pitch to them.  

  1. Prowly

Prowly is another media database and is one of the most user-friendly of them all. Along with helping you find media contacts, Prowly can organize press releases, create online newsrooms and more. The platform is on the pricier side and starts off at $189/month, however Prowly does offer a 7-day free trial.

Project Management

  1. Asana

When working with a team, you need a place to put all your work in one place. Asana is a “work management” platform that organizes tasks and shows the teams progress over time. It also has a social media calendar built into the platform that is accessible to everyone in the team. Team members can add their content in and create subtasks for other members of the team to collaborate and approve. My favorite part about it is that you can see how projects improve over time and when you complete a project, a unicorn flies over the screen.

  1. Basecamp

Basecamp is a great platform for file and project management. Just like Asana, Basecamp allows team members to assign tasks to other members of the team. A feature that I really like about Basecamp is that it allows you to “ping” someone, which essentially is a direct message. Basecamp also has something called “campfire” where someone from the group can send a message and it notifies everyone in the team. This eliminates having to use outside forms of communication like Slack, or email.

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The Best Steps To Take When You Get A New Client

First Client In Public Relations? Follow These Steps

By Dylan Griffith

So you are just starting a career in Public Relations and were assigned your first client. There is a lot to do and not a lot of time. However, there are a few things you can do to kickstart your client relationship.  

  1. Research 

Always start by looking into your client and their company. Before figuring out what your job will be it is essential to take a closer look at who you will be working for. Researching the company’s goals and objectives to see what they do will help guide the work you do. It is also important to figure out who their audience is so you understand the people you are trying to communicate with. 

  1. Create an Organizational System 

Staying organized is one of the most important things you have to do when working with a client. Remembering meetings and deadlines are crucial. I recommend having multiple tactics for the organization which may include a written planner and a reminder app for your cellphone. Always have a calendar on all your electronic platforms so you can check it at any time. These tools can help you stay on top of upcoming deadlines and ensure all your work will be done in a timely manner. No client wants something completed late. 

  1. Make a PR Plan 

After meeting with your client for the first time, create measurable goals for where you want to be when the job is over. In doing this you can go and look during the middle of the job to make sure you are on the right track to complete the goals you set. If you are not on track then this lets you see what has been working so far and what hasn’t. 

  1. First Meeting 

Your first client meeting is when the client will have a chance to get to know you and your team, so first impressions are everything. Come prepared with your own questions so you are clear on what your goal is. Express what you have learned in your research on the company before the meetings and come up with early examples of how you think they could improve. Go at this respectfully. You might say something like, “I see you are doing this currently but, I think if you tried this tactic as well you will see better results.” This shows you are not being rude but trying to help them from the start. 

  1. Be Yourself 

The Public Relations world is a fun and exciting environment. Always be very professional, but do not be afraid to be yourself. This industry thrives on people being creative and trendsetting. 

“No one likes public relations robots. Always try to be creative”

-Dylan Griffith 

  1. Portfolio 

Throughout your time working with the company, keep track of all the work you create for them. It helps to send reports and updates to your client. Share everything you have created so they never question if you are doing enough. Also, help build a portfolio to show others the work you have created in the past. 

  1. Finally

I know all this information may seem like a lot at first but over time it will become like second nature. All these steps will help you grow your career from these simple steps.

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Four PR Lessons I Learned Studying Abroad

By Chase McDaniel

When I embarked on my journey overseas, I did not know that my experience would not only make me a more well-rounded person, but also a better public relations student! 

Studying overseas has many fantastic benefits. From experiencing new cultures, trying new things, and making friends from around the world, it’s no wonder why students are so eager to set foot abroad. When I embarked on my journey to The Hague, the Netherlands, I did not know that my experience would not only make me a more well-rounded person, but also a better public relations student. 

Teamwork makes the dream work

Teamwork is a significant part of university culture in the Netherlands. Professors have their students complete a ton of group projects throughout the semester, so team involvement is crucial. At the university I attended, they require all 120 plus exchange students to take a Dutch Culture and Society course. In this class, the university pairs you with seven other exchange students, all from different countries. The course forces you to leave the comfort of your home country friends and work with new faces from across the globe. I worked with students from Russia, the Netherlands, France, Portugal, and Malaysia and can now call many of them friends. As a team, we worked on multiple group projects throughout the semester, experienced field trips, and presented our work for a final project. This trip showed me what excellent teamwork looks like. When a group works together as a team and plays to each member’s strengths, it allows for a more manageable and enjoyable time. It also set the standard for my future groups in PR classes and has ultimately made me a better leader across campus and in those groups.

Plan, Plan, Plan!

Planning is one of the most vital steps in the public relations process and is just as important to your travels abroad. Planning a trip abroad requires a lot of time and patience, where you have to spend hours on research, ticket buying and itinerary building. For my Dutch Culture and Society course, I had to plan a group field trip. For this field trip, I had to research relevant places to go, the best modes of transport, the cost of tickets and any other key factors necessary for a successful trip. I had to ensure that we stayed within budget and allotted a time where everyone could attend. Overall, the field trip was a success, and my group members commended me for the great time we had! Planning this field trip and other trips gave me real-world experience in planning, and I think it deserves credit for my success later on in the workplace.

Adapt, or else!

Nothing screams getting out of your comfort zone more than being in a foreign place with strangers, a new language and a totally different way of life. So all of a sudden, simply getting through the day becomes the ultimate boot camp of accommodation. From lost luggage on my first day, a pickpocket encounter, to the language barrier, missed trains, exam troubles, and multiple banking setbacks, I had to do more than just hope that everything would turn out okay. I had to adapt. There is always an underlying sense of uncertainty present when studying in a place foreign to you. Learning to adapt is almost a requirement and shaped me as a student, traveler and global citizen. Not only that but learning this adaptability factor has allowed me to grow in my personal and professional endeavors.

Confidence is key

Agility PR argues that confidence is the top soft skill needed to succeed in PR regardless of title or how many years you have under your belt. After studying abroad, I found myself much more confident in my abilities. I was able to not only communicate better in meeting situations, but I was also more confident in myself. Being abroad makes you uncomfortable; you don’t know the language, the people, or your way around. You are forced to make connections with people you normally wouldn’t and realize that you have all these abilities you never even knew you had. Not only this but studying abroad in college is a huge selling point to distinguish you from other candidates in the hunt for a career. Having this experience is not only a confidence booster, but it’s a resume booster too! 

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Bridging the Gap Between Passion of Pop Culture and Public Relations

Technology and planner laid out on table

Photo by Adrienne Andersen from Pexels.com

By: Mariela Marquez

As we approach the finish line of our college careers, most of us get stuck in limbo headspaces trying to figure out where we want to go once we’re done. For the four years I’ve been in college, the public relations world seemed almost like a dream, realistic enough in my head but not actually tangible. Even with an internship, school was always a comfort level I could come back to because it grounded me. 

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4 Ways Public Relations is Used in Politics

2016 political parties

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By: Alan Chavez

 The golden age of public relations is here. Technological breakthroughs have created endless opportunities and techniques which can be performed by its professionals. Every major industry is starting to take notice of the positive effects that public relations can bring. The political industry is one that is using every form of public relations to help benefit a politician’s public perception or image of the candidate. Here are four of the ways politicians are currently using public relations:

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How Playing a Sport in College Provided Me with Skills for a PR Career

Chico State rowing team rowing at sunset

Photo by Jillian Peart

By: Emma McDermott

I moved to Chico, CA to attend college as a first-year. I was ready to start fresh and fully embrace this new chapter of my life. As an undeclared student with lots of time on my hands, I decided I was going to make the most of my four years at this university. 

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How Management Helped Me Grow in PR

office person working at desk

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By: Lauren Davis

Many would not think that outside management experience could help public relations in any real way but, that is not the case. After being a shift manager at a local pizza place for the last six years, I’ve learned so much that I can apply to my daily agency life. As a manager you’re not only managing your team and maintaining a well-run shift but you’re also having to take care of your clientele. In my case, customers in the food industry can be very difficult. People have different food preferences and allergies that need to be taken care of. But when a customer has an issue with something and is angry about it, I step in to take care of the situation. With this ‘crisis management’, I am taking control of the situation and making the customer happy while making sure the business is not tarnished. 

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A Creative’s Role in Public Relations

computer, planner and pencil on desk

By: Casey Bell

Being a “creative,” a person who has solely studied visual communication, I was anxious about working for a public relations agency with no previous public relations experience under my belt. However, since being introduced to the public relations environment, I have gradually realized how much creativity is involved in both visual communication and public relations. I have also discovered the potential that these two areas of study have in working together to become successful in the public relations world.

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Ethical Standards to Uphold in Your PR Agency

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By: Patrice Berry

A PR agency has a responsibility to improve their client’s public perception. That is what it is getting paid to do. Keeping that in mind, it is also important that the agency upholds a set of ethical principles. Not only for the sake of its own public perception, but to maintain a healthy, internal company culture.

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