As my time at Communiqué PR winds down—I recently made the bittersweet decision to leave Seattle and head home to California—I’ve given pause for thought, reflecting on my time at the firm. For nearly three years, I’ve worked alongside the brilliant bunch at Communiqué, beginning as an intern and transitioning to an AAE and then AE role. During this time I’ve experienced the full gamut of boutique agency life—working with a variety of clients, in industries ranging from tech to marketing to power conversion solutions, on an array of PR and communications projects. There has been a myriad of lessons along the way, but a few meaningful ones stand out, including:
Embrace Change & Be Flexible – No day looks the same in PR. Client announcements and pitches, inbound media requests and new business proposals, among others, keep you on your toes constantly. Therefore it’s crucial to be flexible and nimble as client and internal requests come your way.
Additionally, as the digital landscape continues to evolve and, as a result, how news is consumed changes, communications strategies will need to evolve alongside it. This further proves the paramount benefit of an agile PR professional.
Do the Research & Ask Questions – Though it may seem obvious, coming (over) prepared will go miles for building relationships internally and externally. Come prepared by doing your research well in advance of meetings and, while in the meeting, ask questions and listen. Having the right information will help inform plans, pitches, bylines, etc.
This also applies to day-to-day PR activities. Do the research to ensure your clients are prepared for media briefings, research appropriate media contacts, and ask questions internally to ensure alignment on project expectations. This list goes on, but doing your homework will ensure you not only get the job done, but that it gets done well.
Cultivate Relationships – A crucial element of PR is building and maintaining relationships with clients, media and coworkers. Taking the time to build meaningful relationships, though, will take a PR career to the next level.
As mentioned above, taking the time to listen to client needs and goals will not only enhance communications strategies, but will also enrich the partnership. This approach also transfers to journalists and analysts relations. Carefully research coverage areas, inquire about topics of interest and take the time to target outreach accordingly and the results will follow. Finally, tap internal sources and utilize the unique background of coworkers to take client work to the next level.
Think Long-Term – Take time to understand the client’s business and communications goals and then map a PR plan to match that. Build this strategy into all activities and take the time to accurately frame clients’ stories with the media. Coverage just for coverage’s sake is not a sustainable strategy, nor will it necessarily portray the right messages to the appropriate audience. Think creatively to position clients in a unique light with media, which will ultimately create a value-add experience for journalists, readers and clients alike.
In summary, PR is about consistently delivering a brand’s messages across the appropriate mediums. However, the key is to do so while also remaining nimble, asking the right questions and doing the appropriate prep work, building thoughtful relationships, and thinking strategically.
These four takeaways only begin to graze the surface of the lessons learned during my time at Communiqué. I was fortunate to be surrounded by a supportive and creative team, offering a truly unparalleled experience. I’m beyond thankful for the opportunities I was presented with at Communiqué PR and am looking forward to seeing the phenomenal results the firm executes next.
