Public Relations is ever changing - and as it becomes more integrated with marketing and advertising, we are starting to see many new facets of PR professionals. So what constitutes as a PR professional? We've discussed the definition, but what about types of people? Types of personalities? We will never all be the same, but we might have some of the same traits.
1. 'Dude I can't put down my BlackBerry/iPhone/snazzy smartphone': Admit it. You check it incessantly. You have to be on all the time. You're checking social media channels, Google Alerts and national media coverage. If something negative hits, you need to be ready. If a client pings you at 2 a.m., you might be expected to answer. It might vary depending on your industry, but clients come first. In associations, members come first.
2. 'Proud, Honored and Words Like it Make Us Cringe': It's hard to look at those words in a press release and not take out the red pen and cross it out. Innovative and Synergy are starting to become over-used words as well. As PR professionals, we don't want to have the same type of press release as another, especially a competitor. It's hard to believe something is 'incredible' if everyone else is shouting the same thing. Make your client unique.
3. 'Grammar Pet Peeves': Mine is 'your' v. 'you're.' Yours might be 'loose' v. lose. Many of us are writers at heart, and a large portion of our job revolves around it. I've noticed many have quirks and like things done a certain way - and grammar is always one of them.
So what would you add? What are your signs of a PR professional?
Love this!!! #2 and #3 certainly apply to me. #1 as well, but not in the "I can't put down the phone," sense. I always put down the phone when I'm in a meeting with someone. But in the sense of "clients come first," well, yeah... that's what our business is all about, right? Making our clients happy makes me happy.
ReplyDeleteHaha, never considered myself to be a PR pro, but all of these things apply to me!
ReplyDeleteYour really great for posting this! Everyone is saying its great, and I think so to! Their right!
(sic... haha)
Pet Peeve press release CEO quote: "We're excited...."
ReplyDeletePet Peeve grammar: periods and commas outside the quote marks. Always inside the quote marks, people.