Category Archives: Marketing/Communications
Why I Should Have Attended #PRAdvanced
Okay yes, I was one of those people that waited until the Thursday before PR Advanced to register. And yes, the conference was full, and I ended up sleeping in and missing it. As a Non-Public Relations major, I did not initially feel the need to attend Saturday’s conference. After my failure of obtaining a ticket, however, I decided that I should have gone. Here’s why:
1. I made business cards. I know that I will use them otherwise, but I was prepared. However, they are not a waste, it is always great to have your contact information on a card regardless of whether you are going on interviews or not. It assists you in branding yourself and is impressive to those you give them to, without being pretentious (for more on branding yourself, lookout for Tessa Schaaf’s upcoming post on the topic).
2. There were some great speakers and panelists that would have been beneficial to hear. Between BostonTweet, Professor Steve Quigley, Dean Kenneth Elmore, Alex Pearlman, Anne Weiskopf, Chelsea Alexander, Kris Ruby, and Liz Ricketts (and the list goes on!), I missed out on a lot of valuable information. This is especially true because I currently do not take public relations related courses and a lot of information I might not know may have been discussed.
3. I have never “speed networked” or went to a session purely for networking. This is one of those situations that you need to do often to become adequate at. Going up and asking someone for an internship probably is not going to work. But getting to know a potential employer through a genuine conversation will. And with technology baffling our lives, let’s face it – our social interaction is pretty lacking. I could have used some practice in this area.
4. “I am not going to be in Boston for long anyway, I do not need to network around here”. This is a mindset that is awful for Public Relations and communication professionals in general. Who knows where you will be in the next few years? Think about it – are you where you thought you would be five years ago? I could not be further from it. And if you are – kudos to you for making a life plan and sticking to it. But most people change their plans every few years, months, or even weeks. Going to conferences in your area can provide you with great experiences, but you will not find this out unless you actually go.
Unlike myself, I hope you had the chance to attend the conference, learn new information, and take away some great experiences. Oh and next year, I am coming back for it – even if I no longer live in Boston.
If you did attend, what was the most informative part for you (speakers and panelists included)? Tell me all!
The Separate World of Entertainment and Fashion PR
Entertainment and fashion are two incredibly sought-after fields in the Public Relations industry. Interestingly enough, these
two areas represent an entirely different world than some of the more traditional forms of PR, such as corporate or nonprofit. Some might even say the two fields still operate in somewhat of an old-fashioned manner.
Previously, PR professionals might have met over lunch, or any other form of enticement, to do business together. However, the majority of the PR industry has moved passed this system, submitting to more ethical guidelines. Fashion and entertainment still operate using the ways of the past simply because it still works for these fields.
The pros of entertainment and fashion work are based off of opinions. Who’s to say what’s important? These fields thrive off of favors, trading material items, publicity, etc. It’s still socially acceptable to do business over lunches when it comes to entertainment and fashion.
We’ll give you a shipload of our shoes, for example, if you get the word out about them. Companies on the receiving end do their job, and the designers will graciously let them keep the shoes. Lending favors and other strategies like this works wonders, but only in the entertainment and fashion businesses. There’s no reason to try and catch up with the rest of PR.
Other public relations fields have moved on to systems that closely follow ethical guidelines. These systems are more refined but also work smoothly for the industries that participate. Entertainment and fashion PR are definitely a few steps behind when looking at PR as a whole. While they may occupy different worlds, both entertainment and fashion PR and the rest of the many PR industries continue to use the best strategies for their individual success.
Professor Quigley on In-House vs Agency PR
I had the pleasure of sitting down with the School of Communication’s Professor Quigley on Wednesday afternoon to discuss 
what any Public Relations major could expect their first time working in a corporate PR environment. He went on to explain that in order to understand what to expect, one had to be familiar with the two possible environments PR contains:
1. Agency PR: Professor Quigley began the conversation by stating that the trend among PR professionals is to begin in Agency PR and transfer to In-House to continue their careers (this is not always the case, however). He describes working in an agency utilizing the metaphor “an inch deep by a while wide”. That is to say that one must know how to spread themselves over a wide variety of topics in order to deal with multiple clients. With this in mind, the head of an PR agency is going to expect the interviewee to be:
- Well-Rounded: though one might believe that having a strong knowledge in a specific area will work to their advantage, an agency environment requires one to either know a lot about different subjects, or be prepared to learn about them. Research is a skill that goes a long way in the industry.
- Able to Handle Change and Ambiguity: When one asks anyone who’s worked in an agency, they’ll always get the same answer: “There is no typical day.” So one must be prepared to handle a variety of clients on any given day, and be able to juggle.
2. In-House PR: In contrast with agency PR, the metaphor is inverted: “a mile deep, and inch wide”. You are expected to go in-depth, learning, researching, and studying the company’s image and brand. Understanding the brand involves understanding its history and mission. Working within In-House PR suggests that you have prior interest or knowledge about the industry in which you are entering. This is why, in order to work in this portion of the industry, you must be:
- Well versed: Show up to the interview with prior knowledge of the company. “Do your homework,” as Professor Quigley suggests. This is important because you will be working with this company’s image, brand, and goals to formulate their PR approach, and how they come across to the world.
- Invested: Agency provides variety, but In-House provides a structure to your day. This does not imply monotony, however. Know that you are going to be working with this company from the deepest core to the most superficial details in order to better promote and advocate for it. The more passion you feel for the company, the better understanding you’ll have to help it go the distance.
Whether you go into agency or in-house public relations, you will be expected to have a perfect balance of industry and public relations – immerse yourself in your trade, and everything else will fall into place. Odds are, the company will be more than willing to give you an opportunity to learn about them. Study up until you are up to speed, but know Public Relations like the back of your hand, and it will all work out.
Thank you to Professor Quigley for all his advice and help.
Differences between Chinese and U.S. PR
Have you ever thought about Working as a PR practitioner in China? Through the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2010 Expo in 
Shanghai, China has revealed itself as a growing economic power and an increasingly resourceful consumer market.
Nowadays, western business organizations are seizing the opportunities to establish relationships with Chinese corporations. In order to gain their share of the Chinese market, the organizations from the Western world perceive PR as an effective and crucial method to reach the consumers in China. With that being said, an increasing number of PR agencies started to land in major cities in China such as Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
While being excited about the huge career opportunities and potentials of working in China, there are some differences between the two kinds of industries that you should expect if you decide to take that path.
1. Expectations on professionalism: According to a research done by China International Public Relations Association (CIPRA), PR is one of the easiest career choices in China. “Everyone can do PR.” that’s what the Chinese professionals said. However, the Chinese culture values education like no one else, your degree in PR will definitely become a competitive advantage in the Chinese industry.
2. Reputation and Public Perception: The public’s perception toward public relations as an industry in the U.S remains more negative than the public’s perception in China. The reputational downward trend of the PR industry in China has been reversed by recently pronounced events such as the Beijing Olympic Games and the Shanghai Expo. Through these events, the Chinese professional society began to realize the crucial role of PR in its’ development. However, there are still negative perceptions that PR practitioners have to bear in China from time to time.
3. Relationship with the Government: When working in a Chinese agency, especially a domestic agency in China, the campaign that practitioners run for clients should accommodate with the Chinese government’s ideology of “Harmonious Society”. It is not as propagandized that the campaigns should include the actual idea or thoughts of the government, but the campaign should, at the least, not be conflicting with the ideology.
4. Ethical Issues: There are practices in China that are ethically-challenging to U.S. practitioners, especially for those who work in media relations. For instance, PR practitioners in China might: pay “transportation expenses” for the reporters in order to get them into a press conference; write press releases for their clients with the featured style of news stories at the reporters “convenience”; While members of the CIPRA are advocating for the inhibition of such practices, the practices remain common in the Chinese industry.
5. Different Approaches in Practices: Two-way symmetrical communication, an idea that is valued by the U.S. Scholars and Practitioners, is not really emphasized in the practices of Chinese PR. While practitioners in China value feedback from the public as well as the U.S. practitioners do, they prefer to send the perfect message to the public one time and one time only, what’s been learned from the feedback will be applied to the next campaign instead of the current one.
These are only some of the salient differences between the Chinese and the U.S PR industry. Are there any comparisons you would like to add?
3 Tips for Working in Non-Profit Public Relations
Working in non-profit public relations provides a much different experience than working within the corporate sector. There are certain elements of non-profit public relations that one may not find as much when working for a corporate agency.
When working in non-proft public relations, be prepared to fundraise and promote, promote, promote. Not-for profit public relations people need to really advocate for their cause in whatever they do. Be prepared to always be creating hashtags, facebook pages, and promote events for your organization.
There are at least 2 million identified non-profit organizations in the United States alone. These organizations are tax-exempt, and often have regulations in where exactly their funds are allocated. For this reason, public relations employees should have different expectations of funding for their campaigns and salaries, depending on the allocation of funds.
Here are some quick tips on what do expect when working for a non-profit:
1. Money may not come immediately, but work hard and promote. You will be rewarded. If you are really passionate about your organization and work hard, you will do well.
2. Be prepared to work unconventional hours. You may have to promote events on weekends and attend events in the evening.
3. Become familiar with social media. I know this seems like a statement all public relations students see all of the time, but here this is especially critical. Most non-profit businesses and organizations rely on these types of free promotion to assist their business.
All in all, advocate for causes you believe in. The more invested you are in the cause, the more likely you will want to promote it. In addition, you will be able to network with individuals who have the same interests as you or the organization, making meaningful connections throughout the process.
