Tag: public relations

Considering we are at the final month of the year, I find myself only two weeks shy of graduating college and entering the real world.  With that said, I am constantly asked by my family and friends, “What are you going to do with your life?” or “Do you have a job?” 

When I tell them my answer, that I am entering the world of public relations, the most common response I hear is, “Oh, you’re a PR girl … ”

Public relations is an industry that appears to be bombarded with the most stereotypes. 

Due to the infamous HBO show “Sex and the City” and reality TV show “The Hills,” the media has portrayed public relations to be one of the most glamorous jobs ever.  These shows make public relations look like the daily duties of a practitioner consists of attending fashion shows, socializing at parties and receiving numerous amounts of free goods. 

However, the reality is, PR consists of dealing with multiple personalities on a daily basis, juggling multiple client accounts and constantly checking your inbox. 

Here are some common PR girl stereotypes:

·   They worship hashtags more than shoes

·   They have a great understanding of culture and current events

·   They always wear black

·   Their life is like Samantha Jones

·   They are workaholics

As we reach the end of October, it also marks the end of my favorite season, the conclusion of the Major League Baseball season.

While most have festively celebrated October preparing for Halloween with traditional orange and black decorations, I have spent the month preparing myself decked out with the same colors for the World Series.

Growing up in the Bay Area in a family of avid San Francisco Giants fans, you can imagine my excitement through October as my team proceeded to win their way through six elimination games to clinch a spot in the championships.

Since I can’t play in the majors, I’ve always found my place in the stands and at games as a fan. My dream is to one day get called up for a Major League Baseball team so that I can participate and “pitch” in the best way that I can.

So as I screamed, cheered and celebrated my way through game four when the Giants swept Detroit in the World Series, I couldn’t help but think of the lessons that a public relations professional could learn from the sport of baseball.

There is nothing more exciting during a game than seeing a ball get launched over the fence, but players can’t always approach the plate with the intention of hitting a homerun. Sometimes, it is more necessary for a player to hit a sacrifice fly or bunt in order for a runner to reach a base.

In PR, we always have the intention of getting the most coverage for our client. True, it would be much more exciting to get a client covered by a huge, well-known publication or network, but it can’t interfere with the smaller opportunities that we can find in the process.  

In baseball, hitting 3 for 10 means a batter has an average of .300, which is a great achievement. That also means that the batter struck out 7 of 10 at-bats. Baseball players are taught to look more at the success of their plays, rather than failures.

In the PR industry it is rare that you will please your client every time you pitch an idea. Instead of getting frustrated because they don’t like 7 out of the 10 ideas you present, embrace the fact that they like three of them and build on those ideas. 

As a professional baseball player you commit to 162 regular season games. This includes a lot of travel, long days and nights, and all-around an extremely substantial amount of time around the same group of people day in and day out.

The PR industry is well known for having unconventional hours and group work on client accounts. It is best to create a sense of camaraderie with the individuals that you work with. Whether you’re in the dugout or the office, you want to know that your team has your back.

Throughout a season, a team can lose players for multiple reasons, from injuries to suspension. In such situations, it presents the opportunity for bench players to step up and become influential teammates and players.

You can hold many different positions on a client account, from account executive to graphic designer. Regardless of the position, it is important to remember that even if you’re just support on an account, at any time you can have the opportunity to step up and shine.

Baseball is a game of deception. It is about the pitcher getting into the batter’s head and making him think something is coming, keeping him on his toes and making him second guess his approach.

When pitching an idea to a client, it is also all about getting into their head and figuring out what they want. It is possible that they won’t like your idea, in which case, you shake it off and change your pitch.

Always remember, the best players don’t always have natural-born abilities, but commit to hard work and have the desire to improve and succeed using the skills that they have.

Ever since I was young, I have had a passion for words and the English language. My free time consisted of challenging myself to read books at the highest level I could. When I was in fourth grade, Mrs. Tarbox told me she had good news for me:

-“You are at the eighth grade reading level!”

My sixth grade teacher thought I was advanced enough to place me in the G.A.T.E. program; this is when I began to help other students write and edit their essays. Then my desire for copy editing was born.

Even though I wasn’t confident enough to enroll into AP classes, my counselor encouraged me to take two college-level English courses among other subjects. I succeeded in them and applied for college.

In the process of the Chico State application, I applied as a journalism student because I knew that I liked to write and had fun with grammar and spelling. Once classes began, I learned that there is more to journalism than just writing; I was introduced to the world of public relations by the end of journalism 101.

Fast forward three years to my senior year; I’ve worked as the public relations director for nonprofit organization ‘Relay for Life’ and have been accepted into TGC as an editorial assistant. It is only week six, and I have already gained so much insight as to what life at a PR agency would be like after graduation.

When I am asked what it is I want to do with a degree in public relations, most people are shocked to hear my career goals. Most people have developed an idea of what they think PR is, rather than actually knowing what we do. A recent article by the Huffington Post also disproves myths about what people think we do in public relations.

Many people think that social media are not very important, but in my world, how active I am in cyberspace can determine if I get a job or not after graduation. Being socially aware of what is going on in the industry can separate a candidate when looking for a job. 

Being in TGC has taught me how to manage my time more effectively as well as how to work in a team environment. I’ve learned how to balance four different schedules and mesh with people’s different work styles. Working in TGC has been the most beneficial learning experience in my college career.

Yes, it is true, most women are obsessed with fantasizing about their wedding day. Pinterest has contributed to the hype for planning an “imaginary” wedding.  

However, my love for weddings is at a whole new level since deciding I want to involve wedding planning in my profession. As I currently plan my sister’s wedding, I am constantly reminded of basic public relations principles that can be applied to weddings:

Suggestions have their place, but ultimately your job is to make your client happy. Make sure you listen to their needs. Discuss strategy with them and propose your own. It is important for them to be on board with everything you are about to produce and create.

Make to-do lists, put reminders in your phone, and always make sure to update your client on what you are working on.

Event planners are considered risk managers in a sense, but it is important for public relations practitioners as well. Be ready for a disaster at any moment. It is better to prevent chaos, than to deal with the aftermath.

With social media becoming increasingly popular, there are new ways to enhance your client’s presence on the web. Do some research and find out what apps and social media might benefit your client. This applies for wedding planning too. The new app, Wedding Party, directly uploads your guests’ photos to one collaborative Facebook album.

So yes, I may spend most of my time browsing through wedding blogs and magazines and tearing up while I watch wedding videos, but I am also helping myself get that much closer to reaching my dreams.

Think about your hobbies and interests. Don’t all experiences help you learn? The answer is yes. So pay close attention, there are PR lessons in our everyday lives that we may not fully understand from just learning them in the classroom.