In all industries, there are a handful of handy hints that make our lives a bit easier and help us to achieve career goals. As we gain more experience in a field, we make mistakes, we learn from them and we discover the different ways in which people get ahead in the industry.
Whether you’re an Account Director giving advice to an Account Manager, or a PR Assistant lending a hand to an Intern, we’ve put a list of tips and tricks (our Golden Guidelines, if you will) that can help you get and stay ahead in the PR world:
“Just a simple one – make the effort to say thank you. Whether it’s sending a follow up email to a journalist after they’ve run your story, or to a supplier when they’ve gone above and beyond, a quick thank you goes a long a way!”
– Sarah Baird, Senior Account Executive
“When pitching to journalists, make sure you are offering something you can do for them, not the other way around!”
– Phoebe Bright, Account Executive
“From reporter to senior editor, treat everyone with respect. Today’s junior reporter will be tomorrow’s editor – nurture your relationships.”
– Anri McHugh, Account Director
“Stay up to date with current media and events, you never know when the perfect PR opportunity might present itself.”
– Sarah Jane Emerton, Senior Account Executive
“Don’t be afraid to get on the phone and call someone directly. If the job needs to get done urgently, a phone call is the best way to go about it. Its also a great way to develop relationships and create future opportunities.“
– Steph McCormack, Account Executive
“Don’t be afraid to experiment. As much can be learnt from taking a risk and failing, as from succeeding. Just be sure to set up your reporting right.“
– Christopher Whitmore, Digital Director
“Be prepared. Don’t pitch something to the media and not have all relevant information ready to go. If the journalist likes the story, they’ll want all the information right then.”
– Ellie Hewitt, Account Coordinator
“You are going to hear ‘no’ a lot in this industry. It’s important not to take it to heart and just understand that it’s all part of the job.”
– Lucy Baker, PR Assistant
“Learn to write well – people often forget that Public Relations involves a lot of writing. Poor grammar and bad spelling will get you noticed by a journalist for all the wrong reasons.”
– Sara Bordon, Digital Assistant